"I've a feeling that somebody's hanging around these woods; I've had it ever since we got here. And just now while I was looking through the sights I thought I saw something—you know how the sights will concentrate your gaze."
"It's these big woods," said Bob; "I've had the same hunch before. Besides, you can easily look for tracks along your line of sights."
They did so, but found nothing.
"But among these rocks a man needn't leave any tracks if he didn't want to," Elliott pointed out.
"The bogy-man's after you," said Bob.
Elliott laughed. Nevertheless, as the work progressed, from time to time he would freeze to an attitude of listening.
"It's like feeling that there's somebody else in a dark room with you," he told Bob.
"You'll end by giving me the willy-willies, too," complained Bob. "I'm beginning to feel the same way. Quit it!"
By the end of the week it became necessary to go to town after more supplies. Bob volunteered. He saddled his riding horse and the pack animal, and set forth. Following California John's directions he traced the length of the river through the basin to the bald rock where the old trail was said to begin. Here he anticipated some difficulty in picking up the trail, and more in following it. To his surprise he ran immediately into a well-defined path.
"Why, this is as plain as a strip of carpet!" muttered