On the whole, he thought it better not to tell Festing.  It was rather an improbable story, and Stephen might think him imaginative, but he would watch and try to catch the fellow if he came again.  For a week, he made excuses for going out after supper, and Festing did not object although he looked surprised, but he saw nothing and it was very cold lurking about the track.  Moreover he was generally tired after his day’s hard work, and was glad to give up the search.

Some time later, he returned from Norton’s office one night and had reached the track when he saw a man coming obliquely up the slope.  There was moonlight, and the snow glittered between the shadows of the trees.  Charnock saw the other plainly and drew back into the gloom along the bank.  The fellow did not seem to mind whether he was seen or not, but Charnock thought he knew his walk and figure, and when he reached the track set off with the object of overtaking him.  The loose snow dulled his steps, and he was close upon the man when the latter stopped and turned.  Then Charnock saw, without much surprise, that it was Wilkinson.

“What were you doing down there?” he asked.

“I don’t see what that has to do with you,” Wilkinson answered coolly.

“The logs in the pond are ours.”

Wilkinson looked amused and Charnock tried to control his temper.  He would gain nothing by using force, and thought the other meant to give him no excuse for doing so.

“You don’t imagine I meant to steal your logs!” Wilkinson rejoined.  “They’re too large to carry away, and there’s no sawmill to buy them if I sent them down the river.”

“That’s obvious,” said Charnock, who thought it prudent not to hint that he had seen the fellow lurking about the pond before.  For that matter, he was not certain he had seen Wilkinson.

“You’re much more suspicious than you were when I first knew you,” Wilkinson resumed in a mocking tone.

“I was a confiding fool then and trusted my friends.  It cost me something.”

“And now you’re afraid to let anybody pass your logs in the dark?  Well, caution’s useful, but it can be overdone.”

“Why did you want to pass the pond?”

“For one thing, because it’s the easiest way of getting from the smithy to the track; then this piece of hillside doesn’t belong to you.  However, as I guess you don’t claim it, you no doubt reckoned I meant to play you some shabby trick; turn your logs adrift, for example?”

“I don’t think it’s impossible.”

Wilkinson laughed.  “Well, I might do you an injury if the thing wasn’t difficult, but don’t let your suspicions make you ridiculous.  If you feel uneasy, you can watch the pond.  Anyhow, the cold’s fierce and I’m going to the bunk-house.”

Charnock let him go and returned thoughtfully to the shack.  He did not doubt that Wilkinson had been to the smithy, because one could find out if he had not, but he felt disturbed.  The fellow had somehow encouraged him to believe he might tamper with the logs; but would hardly have done so had he meant to set them adrift.  He might, of course, have wanted to keep him uneasy without ground; but suppose it was a feint, intended to cover the real attack, made at another point?  Charnock determined to be cautious and keep his eyes open.