Happening to glance toward Amos, who had not been saying a word all this while, Teddy caught him winking one eye, and making a suggestive motion with his head. He guessed instinctively that the woods boy wished to find a chance to speak with him aside, where the visitor might not hear.
Dolph had taken what the man had said about the roots as Gospel truth. He was trying to squeeze some information out of Gabe; and the other on his part seemed endeavoring to dodge the same by cautious replies, so as not to expose his blank ignorance in the matter too much.
So Teddy found an opportunity to stretch himself, and get up from his seat, as if tired of sitting. He had noticed that Amos was no longer near the fire; and on glancing toward the twin canoes, saw him bending over one of the small, dandy craft, as though examining some scratch that he had noticed before.
Teddy walked in that direction. He knew that he was followed by the eyes of the visitor, who must have considered it a little odd that the boy persisted in carrying his gun along with him on such an occasion. But however that might be, Hackett did not see fit to express his disgust in words, though he may have frowned some, and gritted those strong yellow teeth of his in an ugly manner.
Reaching the vicinity of the canoes, Teddy pretended to be as deeply interested in the supposed scratch made by a snag as Amos was. But when their heads came close together Amos took advantage of the opportunity to say softly:
“A bad egg, that Gabe Hackett, Teddy, believe me! Tell you about him after he’s shook the roost, and gone about his way. Wouldn’t set anything past him. Watch your gun, and everything else while he’s around. Why, he’d steal a coffee-pot if he had half a chance. Used to be the cock of the walk once at the lumber camp; but since then he’s slid down the ladder some, I’m telling you. Hunting ginseng, he says; but I’d rather believe he’s bein’ paid by that Woodstock Company to foller you, and find out what the son of the president of the Overton Lumber Company is doing up in the pine forests; and that’s what!”