THE BEGINNING OF THE TRAIL
When Will and Sandy entered the cabin with Ed Hannon, Cameron sprang up
to meet them. There was a show of excitement in his manner as he
exclaimed:
"So you found the lost boy, did you?"
"No," Will replied, "this is not the lost boy, but it is a lost boy!"
"Where did you come from?" asked Cameron hastily, regarding Ed with a
pair of bold, black eyes. "How long have you been in this district?"
"I came from Katalla today," answered the boy.
"Tonight, you mean," corrected Cameron.
"I started early this morning," replied Ed, "but I guess I've been
wandering around the country a good deal. It seems that I came up to the
cottage from the north."
Cameron sank back into his chair with a look of satisfaction on his
face. The boys now busied themselves getting a substantial meal for Ed,
and the boy was soon attacking a generous slice of bear steak.
If Cameron had the plans bearing the thumb marks, he was certainly the
man to keep them concealed if he believed them to be of any value
whatever to any one. If he did not have charge of the plans, then the
chances were that Vin. Chase, the crooked clerk, had them and that any
reference to them in the presence of Cameron would be communicated as
soon as possible to the actual holder.
Will was certain that Cameron was the man who had given the name of Len
Garman by Mr. Horton in the interview in which he had received his
instructions. At that time he did not believe that Cameron, or Garman,
whichever his name was, knew anything whatever of the thumb prints on
the plans.
He did believe, however, that the fellow would fight to the death for
the drawings, not because he believed them to be of value as evidence,
but because he believed them to be of great value to one in quest of
mining machinery suitable for that section of the country.
Directly Cameron began pacing to and fro in the cabin and occasionally
glancing out of the window. There were only a few stars in sight and no
moon, but for all that the fellow appeared greatly interested in the
landscape outside.
"Are you expecting some one?" Will finally asked.
"Certainly not," was the reply. "Why do you ask such a question?"
"Because you seem anxious about something."
"I am anxious about something," replied Cameron seating himself by Will
once more. "I don't like the idea of this boy coming in here with his
story of being lost on the moraine.
"You think he came here for a purpose?"
"I must say that I do!"
Will saw that Cameron was fearful that Ed had brought in a message of
some kind, and so talked to the point for some moments in the hope of
drawing the miner out. But the miner only stared at Ed with his evil
eyes and said nothing of importance.
"I know what's eating you, old fellow," Will thought to himself. "You
think that there's a gang of Boy Scouts scattered over the moraine
looking for Bert, and you're afraid they'll find him!"
Sure enough this prognostication seemed to be the true one, for directly
Cameron drew on his head net and leather gloves and walked to the door.
He paused there a moment and turned back to say to Will:
"It will soon be morning, and I desire to get to the point of my
investigation before daylight. I have been very courteously entertained
and shall return to your cabin at night, with your permission."
"I guess it's your cabin rather than mine!" replied Will with a smile.
"I think you are acting very decently about our taking possession of it.
Of course you'll always find food here as long as we remain."
With a wave of the hand at the group of boys gathered about the table,
Cameron went out and closed the door. They heard him moving heavily
along toward the east and then came silence.
"He's stopping to see if he's watched," suggested Sandy.
"He'll be watched all right!" George declared.
"But how?" asked Sandy.
"I'm the original sleuth!" George replied with a grin. "I can follow the
fellow by the sound of his footsteps, even if he is wearing moccasins!"
"Does any one doubt that Cameron is the man formerly known as Len
Garman?" asked Will.
The boys all shook their heads, but Ed turned an inquiring face toward
the speaker.
"He gave the name of Cameron here, did he?" he asked.
Will nodded.
"Well, that isn't the name I heard him called by at Katalla," Ed
declared.
"So you saw him at Katalla, did you?" asked Sandy.
"Yes, I saw him at Katalla two days ago. He seemed to have a lot of
business with a young fellow who appeared to be a stranger in the town."
"What name did he give there?"
"Brooks!" replied Ed.
"Well, we mustn't stand here chinning while the fellow is getting out of
sight," suggested George. "I'm going to take after him right now!"
"Wait," Sandy suggested, "and I'll go with you."
"Do you think he will go straight to Bert?" asked Will.
"I have no doubt of it!" was the reply.
"It's just this way," George went on, "Cameron is suspicious that a
great effort is being made to discover the whereabouts of the kidnapped
boy, and he can't rest easy until he knows that he is safe. Besides, the
fellow would like to know whether Bert had regained consciousness."
"Yes, I presume he is anxious to learn what the code despatch he stole
contains," Will answered.
"There was some talk," Sandy said, directly, "about Bert regaining
consciousness before he left the cabin. Do you think that possible?"
"No, I don't!" replied George. "I should have heard a struggle had
anything of the kind taken place. The fact of the matter is," the boy
went on, "that Cameron thinks some one is after the drawings he values
so greatly. He found Bert here with the code message and naturally
concluded that the cipher referred in some way to his plans."
"Well, come on, then," Sandy urged. "We'll have to be moving if we
follow Cameron. I think we've talked too long already."
"Don't you worry about that," Will declared. "Cameron will hang around
the cabin for half an hour or more in order to see if any one leaves.
Before any one goes out, we'll turn off the light and make a noise like
going to sleep. Then, when all is good and dark, you two can slip out
and locate the miner if you can."
"Locate him?" repeated Sandy. "We've got to locate him. He'll go
straight to Bert and that's exactly where we want to go."
The boys made a great commotion in the cabin as if preparing for bed,
and finally the lamp was extinguished, leaving the room in complete
darkness.
"Now, be careful when you open the door," whispered Will.
For a wonder the door opened noiselessly on its hinges, and was closed
without the slightest jar. Directly Will heard a soft tap at the window
and pressed his face against the pane.
"Cameron is still in sight," Sandy's voice said, "and not very far away.
He seems to be satisfied that we've all gone to bed, and is heading for
the west. Looks like he was following the trail we followed when we went
out after fish."
"Go to it, then," Will said. "Don't expose yourselves by being too rash,
and don't come back in the morning without bringing Bert with you."
"You watch me!" Sandy replied, and then he was gone.