"That wasn't
the fellow that got you, was it?"

Sparrer shook his head. His eyes were blazing with excitement. "Dat
wasn't no Injun," he whispered. "Dat feller was easy. Wonder if de other
gink will be as easy."

Once more they settled down to patient waiting. The smell of frying
bacon mingled with that of wood-smoke and tantalized their nostrils. It
seemed an age before the door creaked again. Hal only of the three boys
could see the dark face that peered out in the direction of the spring.
It was the darker for an ugly scowl which contracted the low brows. For
a long minute the man stared in the direction of the spring and Hal
could see his lips moving as if he muttered to himself. Then he
vanished inside and the door closed. It was not long, however, before it
opened again and once more the scowling face appeared, staring toward
the spring. It was clear that his companion's continued absence was
beginning to puzzle him. Taking a step forward he imitated to perfection
the hoarse croak of a raven. So true to life was it that Hal
instinctively looked up expecting to see the black bird of ill omen.
Then it flashed over him that this was a signal call to the man who had
gone for the water.

Twice it was repeated. The third call was answered from beyond the
thicket in front of the cabin. Hal guessed rightly that it was Pat
endeavoring to entice the Indian, for the man at the cabin was Sparrer's
assailant, to come out. He hoped that by replying he would lead the
Indian to think that the answer was from the latter's partner and that
the redman would assume that something important had been discovered to
keep his partner so long and would seek to join him to find out what it
was. If once the Indian could be led away from the cabin his capture
would be easy.

But Pat's hopes in this respect were doomed to be dashed. The instant
the Indian heard the answering croak from in front of the cabin instead
of from the direction of the spring suspicion flashed into his face. For
a few seconds he stood motionless, his beady eyes boring into the
thicket before him. But Pat was well hidden and Alec and his prisoner
were out of the line of vision. Pat essayed another croak, but it served
only to still further arouse the Indian's suspicions that all was not
right.

[Illustration: FOR A FEW SECONDS HE STOOD MOTIONLESS]

Taking a step forward he darted his keen gaze in all directions, at the
same time listening intently. Then abruptl