b having another secret which he had not as yet
told, received further confirmation.

"This, you know, fellows," remarked Allan, "is the way the Indians
communicated in the old days; only instead of writing it out as we do,
they used to make signs that stood for men, camp-fires, rivers, woods,
animals, trails and such things. You remember, Thad here gave us some
talk about that awhile back. Now, are we going on again, since we've
left our wonderful message for Old Phin?"

"Yes, and perhaps we'd better keep somewhat closer together than we've
been doing up to now," the scoutmaster suggested.

"How'd it do for Giraffe here to stay behind, and watch to see if that
feller back of the rock pile gets the letter?" Bumpus proposed. "After
we turned that bend ahead he could drop down, and creep back. Then,
after he'd seen all he wanted, why it wouldn't be any great shake for
such a long-legged feller to overtake the rest of the bunch."

But Giraffe evidently did not like the idea of being left all by himself
after that fashion. He looked worried as he waited to see what Thad
would say; and was considerably relieved when the other shook his head,
remarking:

"No need of that, Number Three. It wasn't such a bad idea though, come
to think of it, and does you credit. I'm glad to see that you're waking
up, and beginning to work your brain more. But that message will get
into the hands of Old Phin, all right, there's no doubt of that."

"D'ye reckon he'll take our word for it; or believe it's only one more
clever dodge of the revenue men to get him when he's napping?" asked
Davy Jones.

The scoutmaster turned to Bob White.

"How about that, Bob?" he asked.

"Old Phin is narrow minded, as you can easily understand," the Southern
boy replied. "Besides, he's had so many smart dodges played on him, that
he'll never believe anybody's word. Now, he may make up his mind that
because we're only boys he needn't be afraid we expect to capture him;
but all the same, we might poke around here, meaning to destroy his
Still, suh. You can depend upon it that Old Phin'll never make friends
with any one that wears a uniform. That stands for an enemy in his eyes.
But I'm hopin' suh, that he'll just conclude to let us alone, and go to
one of his mountain hide-outs, to stay till we leave the neighborhood."

They were by now tramping along again. Trying to forget the ugly part of
the affair, Thad was picturing in his mind what the home of Reube