“Supposing it’s the pirate tramp we saw at Winnipeg?” propounded Hiram.
“Then we know our danger. They evidently are not aware that we are here. You stay on guard here. It can’t be more than two miles to that campfire. I will be back soon.”
“Going to spy on them?” suggested Hiram.
“Yes. I will be back and report just as soon as I find out who these airmen are,” responded Dave.
He gave his comrade definite orders to arouse Elmer if anything suspicious occurred, and to give an alarm at the tavern if help was necessary. Then Dave started out on his lonely expedition.
Our hero knew nothing of the traversed route leading to Lookout Hill. Fortunately the fire glow in the distance continued.
Dave followed a regular road. A lateral path led in the direction of the hill. Arrived at its base, he made his way up one side.
“There is the campfire,” mused the young airman, as he passed through a thicket on a level with the glow ahead of him. “Ah, just in time.”
Dave caught hold of a bush and took a downward swing. He saved himself a good hard fall, however, by clinging to the bush. The whole face of the plateau he found was full of treacherous pits. He proceeded slowly and cautiously now.
A fringe of bushes surrounded the spot where the campfire was. Dave crept to their edge. One glance with the radius of the dying glow of the fire showed him an interesting picture.