ared not take his eyes off them long enough to look carefully, and at
first could not decide whether it was a prowling wolf, bold enough to
come thus near the camp in broad daylight; or a human being.

He even suspected at one moment that possibly the invaders might have
been in greater numbers than any of the scouts dreamed; and that some
of them were even then creeping around, with the idea of turning the
tables on the boys by a sudden coup.

But that idea went glimmering, when he contemplated the utter
impossibility of any foe crawling across the bare and open stretch of
rock extending between their camp, and the foot of the rise.

It certainly could never be done; and with the Maine boy keeping watch
on things from his eyrie amid the piled-up rocks.

Then what?

Why, to be sure, it must be the Fox. The young Crow had vanished, Thad
remembered, at the approach of the trio of prospectors. Just where he
had gone the patrol leader had neither known, nor cared, at the time.
He seemed to have some reason for fearing either Kracker, or one of
the two lesser rascals with him; and appeared desirous of keeping out
of their sight.

Thad also remembered that the Indian boy possessed a gun. He only
hoped he would not do anything rash; but then he had been present when
the scoutmaster spoke to those under him; saying that as members of
the great organization that made for peace, they must not use their
firearms unless as a very last resort; and then only to cripple their
enemies. The Crow had nodded his head with the rest when Thad asked
for this assurance; and surely an Indian keeps his word.

There, once again his head poked up into view, and this time so close
to the men that Thad saw the Fox had been stealthily creeping nearer
all the time.

Did he have some object in his movements, or were they caused simply
by curiosity to see how close he could get, unobserved, to the one he
seemed to fear?

Seeing that Kracker was too furious to even control his voice, the
shorter fellow, whom Thad took to be Waffles, again put in his talk.

"It's plain to be seen you critters don't know the kunnel," he
observed, bitterly, just as though he himself had had a long
experience, and knew what it meant to stir up that vile temper too
far. "He never gives a thing up. He's jest like a bulldog that gits a
grip. Ye may chase us off this time; but we'll stick like a plaster;
and in the end git what we wants. We allers does."

"Oh! you