"Nothing, that I can see," answered Hugh; "and so let's go in again.
We can talk it over better there than out here, you know."
Two minutes later and they were once more indoors. Seated before
the fire, they canvassed the matter thoroughly. From every angle
they tried to penetrate the mystery, but it seemed to baffle them.
"I had an experience once that makes me sort of think they may be
keepers from some asylum looking for an escaped lunatic," Hugh
finally remarked; "though if that were the case, they'd be apt to
wear some sort of gray uniform, and you didn't say anything about
that, Ralph."
"Yes," added the other, quickly, "but if that's what they were, why
should they act so queer? Wouldn't two such men want to scrape an
acquaintance with us scouts, so as to get a few pointers? I don't
think that covers the bill, Hugh."
"And I didn't, either, when I spoke of it," the patrol leader said,
as he smiled and nodded his head. "But perhaps Bud may set us right.
I can see from the look on his face that he has a brilliant idea."
"Oh, shucks! I don't know how brilliant it is," the party mentioned
hastened to remark, "but you're welcome to my thought. Suppose there
happened to be some desperate men hiding up here in these woods, say
counterfeiters, for instance? I've heard that such fellows always
try to pick a lonely place to do their work in.
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