Again was Dolph forced to admire the clever tactics of his guide and mentor, as he moved noiselessly along, passing over yard after yard of territory without giving the slightest indication of his presence. Surely one could learn much by contact with so smart a woodsman, and that was really one of the Cincinnati boy’s best qualities—his willingness to be shown.
Occasionally Teddy would stop and hold out his hand to restrain the one who was tagging along at his heels. Dolph was reminded of the familiar gesture used by city drivers and chauffeurs, when about to turn aside.
At such times Teddy would raise himself up, and peeping over the edge of the creek bank, take a cautious observation, that covered the adjacent camp and territory.
Apparently on each of these several occasions he found things satisfactory, since their forward progress would be immediately resumed after every halt. It seemed to Dolph that presently they would have reached a stage in the game where perhaps a different system of tactics must be employed.
Between the fire itself and the edge of the bank of the creek extended a space about thirty feet in width. While creeping across this, Teddy, on his way to cut Amos free—for before now the boys had learned that their chum was tied hand and foot—would have the sparse shelter of only a few small scattered bushes.
Teddy did not mean that his chum should make this last gap of the venture; but it had been arranged that Dolph crouch just under the rim of the bank, his eyes fastened upon the two men; and in case one of them aroused at a critical time, it was to be his duty to pop up like a “jack in the box,” cover them with his gun, and threaten to shoot unless they remained submissive.
Dolph had really keyed himself up to the point where he was ready to proceed to extreme measures, if pushed; he entertained a pretty poor opinion of both these scheming rascals, and believed they would be getting only their just desserts if necessity compelled him to “pepper” them with the contents of his scatter gun, at thirty yards distance.
But then, that was going pretty far ahead, and Dolph was ardently hoping for a bloodless victory, with both Amos rescued, and the Marlin gun recovered.