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Elmer, watching out of the tail of his eye, could see how pale the other had become, and he was secretly amused. It was just like Lil Artha, when their skiff was directly under the suspected tree, to utter a low gasp, and proceed to elevate his gun in a hurry, as though sighting the quarry.
"If you asked me," said Elmer, "I'd say the answer to the riddle lay between the two things you mention, Lil Artha. Hen is crazed almost, but it is with fear. He finds himself in the power of a brute who is using him for his own purposes.
Elmer realized that Lil Artha was speaking earnestly, and showing no symptoms of having played a practical joke. "Now tell us all about it, Lil Artha," he commanded. "Why, it was about thisaway," said the other, obediently. "I happened to wake up and felt a bit thirsty, so I sat up thinking I'd crawl over to our big jug of fresh water and take a swig.
Hardly had Elmer spoken when a low but eager cry told that success had been achieved. Lil Artha pointed to the mark of feet close beside them. Undoubtedly, the fugitive had dropped once more to the ground. "Say, let me tell you he's a slick article, that chap," said Toby, after they had once more made a fresh start.
This was an easy matter for a thin fellow like Lil Artha, but to stout Landy it was quite a different task, though he succeeded in flattening himself out wonderfully well, all things considered. When finally smoke was discovered, their caution increased, if such a thing were possible.
"There's one thing bad about this drying-out process, though," Lil Artha was heard saying to Ted, who chanced to be near by; "and that's the way clothes shrink after they've been wet."
He acted for all the world like a fellow who did not feel sure that his sight was as good as usual. Something evidently was amiss. "What is it?" demanded Lil Artha, in his usual impetuous way. "The boats!" muttered Johnny Spreen. "Sure thing, we see 'em!" declared the tall scout.
The berries were thicker and larger than any they had ever seen before; and Lil Artha declared he considered the judgment of the little black bear "prime." "He sure knew a good thing when he found it, and so do we," he told those who were working fingers and jaws near him. When Elmer concluded that "enough was as good as a feast," they once more embarked, and the voyage was resumed.
This Lil Artha whirled briskly around his head several times until he had it crackling and taking fire afresh, so that it promised to make a very fair torch, if used for only a brief time. Elmer made no objections to the programme. Indeed, he was deeply interested in the outcome, whatever it might prove to be.
His lack of ambition was so noticeable that Lil Artha could not resist the temptation to take a shot at him. "I was just thinking, fellows," he went on, maliciously, "that Landy's going to play out on us, and give no end of trouble; so we might leave him here to watch the boats while we're gone."
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