The next instant a deep, growling voice floated down the ravine.
“Keep back, you chaps. The first one as comes a step nearer will get a bullet through him.”
The boys wisely made no reply. Under cover of the rocks and trees, they crawled a few yards down the path.
“We’re in a hole,” said Jerry. “The thief is up there with the sleds.”
“What are we going to do about it?” asked Brick.
“Well, we’ve got to have our traps back,” said Jerry, “that’s certain. And there’s only one way to do it. We must cut down the path as though we were retreating. Then we’ll make a detour and lie in wait for the rascal and try to take him by surprise.”
This plan offered much risk in spite of Jerry’s confident words. But a better course was out of the question.
So the boys rose, and tramped down the winding path, purposely making as much noise as possible, to show that they were retreating. Half-way from the bottom of the valley the boys turned to the left. They followed the rugged mountain side for several hundred yards. Then they mounted straight to the summit and crossed in safety.
Suddenly Jerry uttered a low cry. He sprang forward and snatched a small, dark object that was lying in the snow.
“What is it?” exclaimed his companions.