Kiddie reached for the square of paper that was handed to him and examined it as if he had never seen it before.
Kiddie reached for the square of paper.
"Queer!" he ruminated, "it's sure my handwritin'—'Bring this back to camp.' Where'd you pick it up?"
"Didn't pick it up at all," answered Rube. "Found it on a hickory bush, far, far in, as it might be the very heart o' the forest."
"Ah! Some mischievous jay bird plant it there, d'ye think?"
"Jay bird couldn't have written that message on it," said Rube. "Jay bird couldn't have fastened it with a twig drove through the paper ter keep it in place. Guess you heard a jay squawkin' a lot, didn't you, Kiddie?"
"Sure," Kiddie nodded. "Couldn't get quit of the fowl until you came along on my track an' it started ter foller you instead of me. How'd you find your way back to camp?"
"Came th' same way as you did, I reckon," answered Rube. "Went th' same way's you meant me ter go, all the time—trackin' you by the clues you left."