guess we'll just
have to go after him."

Tony did not reply; but judging from the little smile that crossed his
face, it was evident that the swamp boy felt pretty confident they
would have to take up the hunt. He had sized Larry up pretty readily
as a failure in woodcraft, and a sure enough tenderfoot of the worst
type.

"No signs of him yet," announced Phil after a bit, rising to his feet;
while a look of growing concern began to come upon his face. "I was
silly to let him take the risk. Ought to have known Larry would bungle
it, if there was half a chance. And now, Tony, what had we better do,
follow his tracks, or head straight in the direction that shot came
from."

"Follow trail," the other answered promptly.

"You are sure we will be able to keep on it, all right?" continued Phil.

"I think so," replied the swamp boy, with a smile of assurance; as
though he looked upon such a test as of little moment; for what had he
been learning all of his life if not to accomplish just such tasks?

"All right then; let's get busy."

First of all Phil dashed off a few lines on a scrap of paper, telling
Larry, if he hit camp while they were absent, to settle down by the
boat, and wait for them. This he stuck in the cleft of a dead palmetto
leaf stem, which in turn he thrust in the ground in front of the
tied-up motor boat.

Then he followed Tony into the scrub. The swamp boy walked along with
his head bent slightly over. His keen eyes were doubtless picking up
the plain marks made by clumsy Larry as he wandered forth in search of
the coveted quail, which he hoped to adorn sundry pieces of toast that
evening.

Phil too was keeping tabs on the trail, though he realized that if
there arose any knotty problem that Tony could not solve, his own
knowledge would hardly avail.

It was a very erratic line of tracks. Larry evidently had no
particular plan of campaign marked out when he sallied forth. If he
gradually bore to the left it was because of that well known failing
that all greenhorns tracking through the forest, or over the open
prairie, fall heir too; in which the right side of their bodies being
the stronger, they gradually veer to the left, until, given time
enough, they may even make a complete circle.

Tony pointed out just where the hunter, fancying he had sighted game,
began to sneak up on it. Why, he could read every movement Larry had
made from the marks left behind, just as readily as though he