“Perk, step up here,” said Elmer; “can you point out the spot for the gentlemen?”
“Sure thing, Elmer. There, over to the left yonder, see the tree that seems to bend over toward the southeast—it was right under that same I sighted a moving figure; but it flashed out of sight before I could rub my eyes twice to make sure.”
“That’s aplenty, Perk, and thank you,” said Collins, who seemed a pretty decent sort of a chap after all, though he must have been terribly disappointed when his theory turned to bitter fruit; his comrade’s jeers too had not added to his enjoyment of the situation.
“Let’s try the dog around that place,” immediately suggested the other man, plainly full of action. “If it’s our bird, Jock’ll soon give tongue, and lead us off right smart.”
“Our only play, I reckon,” agreed Collins. “So good night, boys; hope you have a bully time of it in camp; used to do that sort of thing myself years back, and know what it means. We’ll soon be clearing out of this region, hit or miss, so you won’t be pestered with our hound barking for long.”
Elmer and the others saw them hurry away with mingled emotions. Despite the fact that the night air seemed pretty chilly, and their garments exceedingly thin, they continued to huddle in the open doorway, listening and watching.
Even Perk refused to go back again to his snug blanket so long as the other three remained there; and once Elmer heard him saying softly, as though to himself:
“Poor thing, just to think of him out of his mind, and wandering at large in these big woods, hungry, and without even a blanket to hug nights. I almost wish he’d crept in, and cribbed that last loaf of bread we fetched along.”
That was Perk all over, full of feeling for any one apt to be suffering; and it was this spirit of wanting to be of service that endeared him to the hearts of all his boy friends in Chester.
“There’s the hound picking up!” snapped Amos, suddenly.