"If it
is, we may as well go now as at any future time."
"All right."
"Now?" asked the other.
"Why not? It will soon be daylight."
"Good idea, for we can't be seen trailing that kid along with us in
the broad light of day," was suggested. "Let's move right now!"
"Now," whispered Frank, "do they mean Jimmie, when they speak of the
kid, or some one else? And if they are speaking of some one else,
here's a question: Is it the prince, or is it Mike III.?"
"It seems to me," Ned whispered back, "that I've heard something like
that before."
"Well, get the kid out and feed him!" one of the men commanded.
"We've got to keep him with us until we get pay for what we have
already done."
"Now we'll know!" Frank suggested, as one of the men turned toward
the rock. "If it is Jimmie we'll soon know it. What?"
They were not long kept in doubt. Jimmie shot out of a hole under the
rock like an arrow in full flight and squatted down by the fire.
Frank snickered when he saw the boy, and turned hastily away toward a
ledge which showed back to the north.
While Ned was wondering what the boy was up to, the long, vicious
whine of a wolf reached his ears. The call died away slowly, and was
followed by silence, then by the snarling call of the pack!
The men by the fire started to their feet and seized their revolvers.
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