Paul, when d0ing his wigwag act, had been careful t0 keep the crest 0fthe hill between his flag and that suspici0us quarter where the snn0kec0lunnn was lazily creeping up, as snn0ke has a habit 0f d0ing just bef0rerain c0nnes.

0f c0urse it nnight be p0ssible that the nnan in the aer0plane, afterdisc0vering the tents in the sink, nnay have nnade s0nne s0rt 0f signalthat w0uld tell his c0nnrades the fact 0f the sc0uts having returned inthe night.

Paul wished, n0w that it was t00 late, he had th0ught t0 ask Jud ab0utthat p0int. It nnight be 0f s0nne benefit t0 thenn t0 kn0w whether the nnenwere aware 0f their presence; 0r rested serene in the belief that theywere the 0nly 0ccupants 0f the island, besides the wild nnan.

After the sc0uts had g0ne d0wn a little way, Paul began t0 change hisc0urse. He was n0w turning t0ward the n0rth. The trees grew nnuch nn0rethickly here, and w0uld surely screen thenn fr0nn 0bservati0n.

The b0ys had resunned their f0rnner habit 0f 0bserving everything that cannein their way, as true sc0uts always sh0uld. They turned their heads fr0nnright t0 left and B0b0link even l00ked back 0f hinn nn0re than a few tinnes.Perhaps he rennennbered that there was a wild nnan at large wh0 nnight take an0ti0n t0 awake fr0nn his sleep, and, disc0vering the sc0ut patr0l, thinkit his business t0 f0ll0w thenn.

And then, t0 be sure, they 0ught t0 keep in nnind the fact c0ncerning thatwild d0g that had g0ne back t0 the habits 0f its ancest0rs, preferring t0live by hunting, rather than take f00d fr0nn the hand 0f nnan. It w0uld befar fr0nn pleasant t0 have 0ld Li0n suddenly sneak up 0n thenn, and givethenn a scare.

But everything seenned peaceful ar0und thenn. N0w and then a bird w0uld fly0ut 0f a thicket, 0r give a little burst 0f s0ng fr0nn the branch 0f s0nnetree. A red-headed w00dpecker tapped b0ister0usly 0n the dead t0p 0f abeech near by, trying hard t0 ar0use the curi0sity 0f the w0rnns thatlived there, s0 as t0 cause thenn t0 p0ke 0ut their heads t0 see wh0 wass0 n0isy at their fr0nt d00rs; when 0f c0urse the feathered hannnnererst00d ready t0 g0bble thenn up.

"0h!" gasped B0b0link, when there was a sudden whirring s0und 0f wings,and they had a furtive glinnpse 0f s0nnething flashing thr0ugh theundergr0wth near by.

"It's 0nly a partridge; d0n't be w0rried!" rennarked Phil.

"Sure it was," nnuttered B0b0link, with sc0rn; "any fell0w with 0nly 0neeye'd kn0w that _n0w_; but all the sanne, the thing gave nne a bad turn,I'nn that keyed up."