“And our guns are inside,” bemoaned Ted. “What did they say?”
“They didn’t see me. I didn’t give them the chance.”
“Well, we have our rakes. We ought to be able to put up some fight with them. Come on.”
But when the young homesteaders, after approaching the camp with all the stealth they knew, arrived at their hut, no sound came from within.
“Probably they have seen us,” whispered Ted, in his brother’s ear.
“Then we’ll fool them,” returned Phil. And taking off his cap, he placed it on the end of the rake, then pushed it forward until it was at the edge of the door where it would be plainly visible to any one inside.
Hearts seemingly in their mouths, the boys waited. But still there was no sign of the men Phil had seen.
At the end of several minutes Ted moved close to the hut, and carefully made an opening through which he could look.
“Not a soul in there,” he exclaimed. “You must have been dreaming, Phil.”
“Guess I know two men when I see them,” he retorted. “Let’s act as though we didn’t know they were here. We’ll talk out loud and pretend to be returning from the clearing. That ought to fetch them. Be ready, though.”