TOMA’S DARING PLAN.
“Can’t be!” gasped Sandy.
“I tell you it is! The wild man. With McCallum and Brennan.”
The young Scotchman sank down to a sitting position, staring across at
Dick. Just then he had no words to voice his astonishment. But not so
Toma.
“What’s that you tell ’em Sandy an’ me? This fellow look like crazy man
now wear clothes? Sit there an’ talk McCallum an’ Brennan like he got
some sense after all?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’ve been trying to tell you.”
“No believe.”
“Slip over there then and see for yourself. It’s true, Toma. He looks
different now, but it’s the same person undoubtedly.”
The young Indian still shook his head in unbelief as he crawled forward
to the place Dick had recently vacated. For several minutes he crouched
there, his eyes on the three men, then cautiously returned.
“Am I right?” demanded Dick.
“You say right. It is that fellow. He no more crazy than you an’ me. He
look like wild man, that’s all. I think mebbe Wolf Brennan tell him come
over dress like that to make us big scare.”
“That’s what I think.”
Sandy caught at Dick’s arm.
“Well,” he said nervously, “let’s get away from here before we’re
discovered.”
Dick did not reply. His face was serious, absorbed. He was thinking
deeply.
“Let’s get out of here,” Sandy insisted. “Remember, Dick, they’re armed
and we aren’t.”
“Just a moment, Sandy. It’s just occurred to me that these men must have
a canoe or craft of some kind. I’ve been wondering if it wouldn’t be
possible to get it away from them a little later when they fall asleep.
If we can successfully put such a plan into effect, it won’t take us
long to get to Half Way House.”
Toma emphatically nodded his head.
“Yes, if they got canoe, we try get it.”
Sandy brightened visibly.
“I’m willing to take the chance,” he said. “This constant walking has
begun to tell upon us all. We have still a long way to go. Yes, I’m
willing to take the chance,” he repeated eagerly.
It was hot where the three boys sat. The sun, now directly overhead,
beat down upon them with fierce, penetrating insistence. Not a breath of
wind stirred along the river valley. Dick wiped away the beads of
moisture that stood out upon his face and commenced fanning himself with
his broad-rimmed hat.
“First of all we must find out for certain whether they have a canoe,”
he pointed out. “If they have, it’s probably hid in the brush near the
river. We must try to find out exactly where it is.”
Sandy nodded his head.
“Do you suppose there is any chance that the three of them will take a
nap?” he inquired.
“Extremely likely,” rejoined Dick. “From what I can make out, they’re
preparing their mid-day meal now. After they have eaten, they’ll do
either one of two things, embark on their journey again immediately or
sit around and rest for an hour or two. I’m very much inclined to the
latter view. Unlike ourselves, they’re in no hurry to return to Half Way
House. They’ve been sent out here to watch us. No doubt, they think that
after the scare we received yesterday, we’re still up in the woods.”
“I shouldn’t wonder,” Sandy half grinned.
“You think we better try get gun as well as canoe?” Toma asked.
“That depends a good deal upon circumstances. I mean, we’ll get one if
we can do it without taking too much of a chance.”
“You suggest waiting here then until we find out what they’re going to
do?”
Dick nodded. “We’re as safe here as anywhere.”
“Let’s creep a little closer,” suggested Toma.
“No, we’d better stay here. In these bushes they can’t see us. If we’re
quiet, they can’t hear us either.”
During the interval of deep silence that followed, they could hear quite
distinctly the voices of the three men. Occasionally, too, there came to
their ears the rattle of a kettle or the clatter of a spoon. The
ascending streamers of smoke thinned gradually and finally disappeared.
Now and again, Wolf Brennan’s harsh laugh fell across the quiet air.
The minutes slipped by. Dick began to wonder if they would never cease
talking. The drone of their voices continued on unintermittingly, for an
hour or more, before the sequestered camp became quiet. Not until then
did Dick turn and motion to his companions.
“Now’s our chance,” he whispered. “Toma, you and Sandy follow me down
along the shore of the river and we’ll try to find that canoe. We must
take our time. In case they hear us we’ll make a break for the trees and
climb the slope.”
Moving slowly, cautiously, Dick led the way down to the river. They were
glad when they reached the belt of white sand. Their footsteps could not
be heard here. They proceeded about fifty yards, to a point just below
the place where the three men were camped. Though they looked up along
the bank eagerly, they had seen no trace of the outlaws’ craft. But
presently, Toma moved closer to Dick, nudging him in the elbow.
“I see it,” he breathed.
“Where?”
The young Indian pointed. “Right there,” he said.
Dick’s heart nearly stood still. The canoe was farther up the bank than
he had expected. The three men had carried it within thirty feet of the
place where they had built their fire. Its graceful lines standing out
sharply against the background of green brush—never had the boys looked
upon anything they wanted so much and yet which seemed so unattainable.
Even if Wolf Brennan and his two unprepossessing companions were
sleeping soundly, how could they ever contrive to creep up there
unheard, pick up the canoe and make their way back to the river?
It would be a terrible risk. Careful though they might be, it would be
almost impossible to secure the prize without arousing the sleepers.
Disheartened, the boys crouched down close to the bank.
“Guess we’ll have to give it up,” murmured Sandy, “We’ll lose our lives
in the attempt.”
Dick groaned. “And when they wake up, they’ll start up the river again
and we’ll probably never have another chance.”
As he spoke, he looked at Toma and noticed a sudden sparkle of
determination in the young Indian’s eyes. Toma had become excited,
restless. His hands moved along the edge of the bank nervously.
“Tell you what we do,” he proposed. “I have plan. Listen, Dick. You two
fellows stay here. Keep down close to bank so they no see you. While you
do that I circle round through the trees an’ come down on them from
above, making loud noise. Pretty soon I wake ’em up. I try keep hid. By
an’ by, them fellows think mebbe it’s a bear an’ come up an’ try find
it. Soon they do that, you, Sandy run up quick, get canoe.”
“And leave you in the lurch,” protested Sandy. “I guess not. You’ll get
a bullet for your pains.”
Toma shook his head. “No ’fraid of that. I keep plenty hid alla time.
Pretty soon them fellows give up an’ go back to camp.”
“But what will you do?” inquired Dick.
“I keep right on till I come to bend in river. You an’ Sandy be watch,
look for me alla time an’ soon I come down to shore you paddle in an’
pick me up.”
Dick’s face grew instantly grave.
“The plan might or might not work,” he decided. “Supposing, Toma, that
only one or two of them leave camp. How do you know they’ll all follow
you?”
“I not know that,” the young Indian admitted. “But pretty good chance
they all come when I make noise.”
“But if only two should follow you, what will we do?” persisted Dick.
“Mebbe you get chance to get canoe anyway. If one fellow stay at camp,
he very much like to know what other two fellow do, what you call ’em,
he be excite. He keep look up that way. Then mebbe you an’ Sandy creep
up close behind him with club an’ knock him down.”
Dick’s breath caught. He and Sandy were staring questioningly and a
little wildly into each other’s eyes.
Toma persisted. “What you say ’bout that?”
“I couldn’t do it, Dick,” Sandy exploded. “There’s something sneaky and
cowardly about creeping up and knocking a man down with a club. I just
can’t do it. I can’t!”
“He try same by you,” the young Indian scowled. “What for you not do it
to him?”
“If we had a rope,” said Dick, “we might grab him and tie him up.”
Toma’s face fell. “Why we talk ’bout that now? Mebbe all three follow
me. It’s only chance I see to get canoe.”
“All right,” Dick suddenly came to a decision. “We’ll risk it. We’ve
delayed long enough now. Get busy, Toma, and carry out your plan just as
you’ve told it to us.”
The Indian’s sober features lighted into a broad smile. Swinging about
without further preliminary, he broke into a dog-trot, then, twenty
yards further down the shore, turned and began making his way up the
steep embankment. The boys watched him for a while, whereupon they
turned and looked at each other, their cheeks flushed with excitement.
Dick reached over quickly and laid his right hand on Sandy’s shaking
shoulder.
“We’re in for it now,” he said.