They sat there and exchanged words for quite a long time, while the evening waned, and some of the tired men, who had been poling or rowing all day, began to creep into the tents, or, it might be, under rude bough shelters, where they expected to sleep through the remainder of the night.
“The time has come at last,” said Dick, in a low tone.
“Did you see Captain Lewis make the gesture he explained to us?” asked his chum.
“Yes, and now let us see how smartly we can carry out our part of the game, as we laid it out in advance.”
After surveying the field, the boys concluded that, by pretending to settle down in a certain place, they could withdraw by degrees without being noticed, and come up in the rear of the patch of bushes marked by the commander as the meeting spot.
This maneuver was accomplished with considerable skill, because both lads were well drilled in Indian ways, and could snake their way along the ground as well as any painted brave on the warpath, seeking to spy on the enemy’s camp.
In due time, therefore, they crept into the bushes, and settled down to await the coming of the two captains. Just as they expected, from their place of hiding it was possible to keep a close watch upon the supply tent, though the latter stood in the shadows, with the firelight playing on one side of it only.
Slowly the minutes crept along. The boys rarely exchanged words, and then only in the lowest of whispers; nor did they make any sort of move, lest in some way keen eyes discover their presence amidst the bushes.
It seemed ages before Roger pressed the arm of his cousin, and spoke in his ear.
“Something moving behind us, Dick!”