Immediately Maurice understood what ailed him.
"A man with a red head of hair; and you think it might be the same fellow that tried to rob us yesterday up-river? Is that it?"
"Sure it is," replied Thad.
"But you know there are lots of men with red hair?" protested his comrade.
"Yes, but not with that nasty laugh. You heard it when he paddled away, thinkin' he had the stuff; and I heard him give the same kind of laugh just when he dodged into that shack."
"He did, eh? Funny I didn't happen to hear it. What made him laugh this time, d'ye suppose, Thad?"
"Ask me something easy, will you? P'raps he was tickled to see old friends again. Then, again, mebbe the notion struck him that after all the fish that got away the other time was comin' straight into his net. All I know is he laughed; and that it's the same critter!"
When Thad was positive it took mountains to change his opinion.
But then Maurice did not see that there was anything improbable in the idea, since the thief who had visited them had rowed down river, and just as likely as not had his home at Morehead.
"Well, come along, pard. Even if it is our old acquaintance, he'd better think twice before trying to hold us up," he remarked, giving a pull at the other's sleeve.