"
Tad crept silently away, hugging the base of the rocks so that it would
have been difficult for one at the top to have seen him at all Ned,
obeying his instructions, found a canyon up which he crawled, neither
boy making a sound. They had agreed upon the two-shot signal to call
each other, three shots being a warning to the rest of their party
that they were in need of assistance.
Neither lad saw or heard anything of a disturbing nature on his way out.
Ned found no difficulty in making his way into the range of mountains,
but as he proceeded and found no one there he grew more bold. Not that
he was particularly careless, but he unconsciously relaxed a little of
his former caution.
In the meantime Tad Butler had crept on past the place where the party
had first planned to go into camp. Not a sign of a human being
greeted Tad's watchful eyes. The lad climbed the side of the rocks,
keeping his body hidden in the foliage as much as possible. He had
got about half way up when he paused to take a look over the plain
beneath him. The Pony Rider Boy could faintly make out the place
where his companions were in camp awaiting the result of his mission.
"I believe there's Chunky standing on that rise," muttered Tad. "Yes
it must be Chunky. I'll bet the professor doesn't know the boy is out
there. Chunky evidently is getting anxious about us."
Bang!
The shot sounded some distance to the eastward of where Tad was
secreted.
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