"All right," Alex said, "I'll just go out and see about it."
When he reached the deck for the second time, Case stood at the gunwale listening. The call came again from the woods.
"Now you hear it, don't you?" asked Alex, scornfully. "I reckon you fellows would sit around here and let those wops carry off the boat."
"Well, haven't they got to show up before we can do anything to them?" asked Case reproachfully. "I guess they have."
"I'd like to know what they are doing," Alex wondered, "and I just believe I could sneak out and learn something about it. It makes me nervous, waiting here for them to get in the first blow."
"If I had a house and lot for every time you've been lost on our river trips," Case grinned, "I'd own the biggest city in the world. You go back to bed, or I'll get Clay out here to tie you up."
Teddy now came sniffing where the two boys stood, and, lifting his paws to the gunwale, looked over in the forest.
"See that!" Alex exclaimed. "Even the bear knows there is something wrong on! If you'll keep that twirler of yours still for a little while, I'll go and see what it is."
"You're the wise little sleuth!" Case declared. "Go on back to bed and dream that you're Nick of the Woods."
"Tell you what," Alex said, "we'll tie a line to the rowboat, and I'll row ashore, then you pull the boat back, and I'll creep out in the thicket and see what I can discover. I believe those outlaws will gather around the campfire. Anyway, they're foolish if they don't."
"If you take my advice," Case said, "you won't go, but if you insist on it, I'll draw the boat back, for our own protection."
Very reluctantly, then, Case assisted in getting the boat into the river, found a long line to attach to the prow, and helped the boy away on his journey. He felt guilty for aiding in the adventure.
Alex landed in a thicket almost straight west of the _Rambler_, and at once secreted himself. No signals had been heard for some moments, and the boy believed that he had reached the shore without attracting attention. Case drew the boat back and sat waiting.
Alex remained perfectly still in his hiding-place for some moments. There was only the noises of river and forest. To the west, the embers of the campfire made a faint red glow in the moonlight.