The man stopped abruptly, and after another cautious survey of the woods, resumed in a whisper:
"If you fellows do chance to get in trouble through this party, why mebbe I'll be near at hand to help. It ain't certain, mind, because he may easily give me the slip again. If I kin find him afore he gets away this time, it ain't likely he will give you any trouble."
"I don't quite understand," said Clay in a perplexed tone. "Who are you, and who is this man that you are warning us about? Why should we be afraid of him?"
The stranger shook his head.
"It ain't quite the thing for me to tell," he said slowly. "You see nothin' may come of it after all. Just you fellows mind what I say, and keep your eyes open. When you find your friends paddle on down the creek for a good way before you camp. Good-by, I'm off."
He turned abruptly away, and hurried through the woods toward the base of the hill.
Clay called him two or three times, but in vain. He was already out of sight.
The boys looked at each other for a moment with unspeakable amazement.
"It's the queerest thing I ever heard of," exclaimed Clay. "I don't pretend to understand it. The man was serious in all he said, too."
"There was something familiar about his face," observed Nugget. "At least I thought so when I first saw him."