ved
Frank, "because there was nobody lying amidst the brush."

Without replying, the French Canadian and the Indian guide fell on their
knees, and seemed to be closely examining the ground upon which none of
the party had as yet set afoot.

"Tamasjo has found something," observed Teddy quickly, as he saw the
Indian lower his head closer to the ground, and evidently examine some
object with eagerness.

Ned was down beside him almost instantly.

"It's a plain footprint, all right," he announced as soon as he had been
able to take a quick observation.

"That proves Francois _did_ see a skulker then, and wasn't dreaming,"
Jack was heard to say, as though he may have been entertaining some
doubt on the subject up to that moment.

"He scared him off, even if his lead was thrown away," Jimmy ventured,
with a slight touch of scorn in his manner, as though he fancied he
could have given a better account of himself, had the chance come his
way.

"Hold on, don't be in such a rushing big hurry to say he wasted his
lead," Ned warned him.

"What's that, Ned; did he hit the sneak after all?" Jack demanded.

"Well, spots of fresh blood don't grow on the bushes up here, even if we
do seem to run across lots of queer things," Ned went on to say, as he
pointed to where they could all see that it was so.

This fact added to the excitement. If the unknown whom they looked on as
some species of spy, had been wounded, it looked like a serious piece of
business for the little party of explorers. He must have friends not far
away, and after the gantlet of defiance had been thrown down by this
shot, these men might lose all restraint and show that they were
disposed to act in an ugly way.

It meant that the former sense of security and indifference was a thing
of the past. From this time on the scouts must keep constantly on the
alert to guard against a sudden surprise. They must learn to watch for
danger in every quarter, and not allow themselves to sleep on post.

All this change was caused by the discovery of that one small spot of
shed blood. Even the usually talkative Jimmy seemed to have become dumb
for the time being, as though realizing the gravity of the situation.

"Do we try to track the fellow, Ned?" asked Teddy.

"I don't think that would be a wise thing to attempt," came the reply.
"In the first place we couldn't make any headway without a light; and
that would expose the lot of us to his fire, if he found himself