had, pretending a hurt, led it to a distance from
the brood.

But this was different. The grouse had played her usual trick of decoy,
no doubt, and failing in this had returned to attack something regarded
as a larger enemy. She would know better than to include deer, or the
wandering, half-wild cattle of the peninsula as such. There were no puma
and few bear in these woods, and surely none here. What then could the
disturber be but a man? Gus well knew the ways of these knowing birds.

The boy's advance now became so cautious as to make no audible sound even
to himself, such being possible over the pine needles. Slowly he gained a
vantage point where again the roof gable was visible against the sky. No
sound ahead, except the mother grouse making the sweetest music
imaginable in calling her young ones together during a half minute. The
coast must be clear,--but just as the boy was about to go boldly forward,
a flash of light shone about him and his staring eyes discerned, not
thirty feet away, the three watchers standing together. They had
returned, probably by pre-arrangement and had met in the roadway. Now
they were silently listening for the fourth fellow--himself. One chap,
thinking that they were not observed, had struck a match to see the time,
or to light a cigarette. Had they been looking in Gus's direction they
might have seen him. Presently, mumbling some words, they all went on
again toward the cabin, and Gus, sick at heart because seeing now no
chance for a renewal of his effort, turned back after an hour to where
Bill waited.

"Why, Gus, they came out here, all of them together and went part way
over to the beach, then returned almost right away. I could hear only
their voices at first, but when they came back they passed close enough
for me to hear a little of what they said, I think it was the Malatesta
that we know. He was declaring that 'he,' and I guess he meant you, must
be the same. Do you think he knows you, Gus?"

"I don't know. They must be suspicious of my story, or my purpose,
anyway, or they would have stayed out and watched. Perhaps one of them
followed far enough to hear me head out this way. Anyway, they think the
cabin is the safest place. We can't do anything now, so let's go back
and hit the hay."

They went back, Gus to throw himself on old Dan's couch and sleep like a
dead man and Bill to take up the receiver phones, nodding over the
table, to be sure, but remaining generally awa