At sight of him Logan so far bestirred himself as to uncoil his long legs, rise, and stand with one shoulder propped against the tree.

“Evening, Mr. Drew,” he called.

“Hello, Logan.  How’s everything with you?”

He would have ridden on, but at Logan’s reply he checked his horse to a slow walk.

“Busy.  Lots of company lately, Mr. Drew.”

“Company?”

“Yes, there’s a young feller come along who says he wants to see you.  He’s over there by the creek now, fishin’ I think.  I told him I’d holler if I seen you, but I guess you wouldn’t mind ridin’ over that way yourself.”

Drew brought his horse to a halt.

“What does he want of me?”

“Dunno.  Something about wanting to hunt and fish on your streams here.”

“Why didn’t you tell him he was welcome to do what he liked?  Must be an Easterner, Logan.”

“Wants to bunk in the old house, too.  Seems sort of interested in it.”

“That so?  What sort of a fellow is he?”

“All right.  A bit talky.  Green; but he rides damn well, an’ he smokes good tobacco.”

His hand automatically rose and touched his breast pocket.

“I’ll go over to him,” said Drew, and swung his horse to the left, but only to come again to a halt.

He called over his shoulder:  “What sort of a looking fellow?”

“Pretty keen—­dark,” answered Logan, slipping down into his original position.  “Thin face; black eyes.”

“Ah, yes,” murmured Drew, and started at a trot for the creek.

Once more he imitated the actions of Bard the day before, however, for no sooner had the trees screened him thoroughly from the eyes of Logan than he abandoned his direct course for the creek.  He swung from the saddle with an ease surprising in a man of such age and bulk and tossed the reins over the head of the horse.

Then he commenced a cautious stalking through the woods, silent as an Indian, stealthy of foot, with eyes that glanced sharply in all directions.  Once a twig snapped under foot, and after that he remained motionless through a long moment, shrinking against the trunk of a tree and scanning the forest anxiously in all directions.  At length he ventured out again, grown doubly cautious.  In this manner he worked his way up the course of the stream, always keeping the waters just within sight but never passing out on the banks, where the walking would have been tenfold easier.  So he came in sight of a figure far off through the trees.

If he had been cautious before, he became now as still as night.  Dropping to hands and knees, or crouching almost as prone, he moved from the shadow of one tree to the next, now and then venturing a glance to make sure that he was pursuing the right course, until he manoeuvred to a point of vantage which commanded a clear view of Bard.

The latter was fishing, with his back to Drew.  Again and again he cast his fly out under an overhanging limb which shadowed a deep pool.  The big grey man set his teeth and waited with the patience of a stalking beast of prey, or a cat which will sit half the day waiting for the mouse to show above the opening of its hole.