"Say, ain't it enough to give a feller the shivers?" observed Thad, when an owl began to hoot in a mournful way back from the road.
"I must say it doesn't seem to be particularly cheerful around this region. But we must be more'n half way there; and nothing's happened yet," returned Maurice, stoutly.
"There, what was that?" asked his chum, coming to a sudden stop.
"Where?" demanded Maurice, who had taken his turn at carrying the gun; and as he spoke bringing it half way up to his shoulder, while his thumb played with one of the hammers.
"I saw something moving ahead; sure I did!" declared Thad, shaking that obstinate head of his the whole.
"Perhaps so, but that's not saying it was a MAN! Did it have red hair, do you know, Thad?"
"There you go, Maurice, always making fun of me. I didn't see any head, so I can't say; but it looked like a man creeping off."
"Right where, son?"
"Do you see that clump of bushes, the ones with the bully red leaves? Well, it was close to them. It moved just when I happened to look that way. I give you my word, Maurice."
"All right. We'll find out quick enough, I reckon," remarked the other, with that decisive ring in his voice which Thad knew so well.