ys made it a point
to drop back and keep him company when he imagined the situation became
acute.

From the rapid manner in which Lil Artha and Elmer picked up the trail
it was plainly evident that so far the unknown fugitive from justice
had not bothered resorting to any of his tricks looking to blinding the
tracks.

He had been compelled to wait for daylight before trying to move
through the swamp, because progress would have been next door to
impossible at night time unless one were familiar with the way, or else
carried a lantern. Neither of these happened to be within his scope,
and so he had to depend upon daylight.

Of course, none of the boys knew what sort of a reception they might
expect when finally they overtook the man they were following. What
little they could gather from various sources inclined them to believe
he must be a pretty desperate sort of customer. The occasional mention
of him in that strange message left by Hen was along those very lines.

He might be armed for all they knew. Such criminals usually are,
though in this case it might be otherwise, Elmer had told them, since
he believed the man had been a prisoner making his escape when first he
struck Sassafras Swamp, and concluded to have his hide-out in its
depths.

Still Lil Artha was not for taking too many chances. As he moved
along, the tall scout managed to keep that reliable gun of his in
position for quick use, should an occasion arise calling for service.

He also tried to glance ahead from time to time, in hopes of locating
any suspicious ambuscade. A sudden attack that would leave himself and
Elmer weaponless might throw the entire party into a state of
helplessness, which would always reflect on their ability as scouts.

They spent half an hour in this fashion, though the trail wound in and
out so much that at the end of that time they could hardly have been
more than a quarter of a mile away from the late camp of the fugitives.

"Did you hear that, Elmer?" whispered Lil Artha, suddenly, throwing out
a hand so as to clutch the other's arm; while everyone became rigid
with suspense.

"It certainly sounded like a cough," admitted the other.

"But I'm dead certain it wasn't from in front of us, but over to the
left, which would be some queer," muttered the tall tracker, staring in
the quarter which he now indicated with outstretched finger.

"I thought the same, Lil Artha," Elmer told him; "but then this trail
twis