Maurice knew what he was doing, but made no complaint. Indeed, in secret, he was almost as anxious as Thad, even though he had not seen the man with the red head with his own eyes; and had tried to laugh at the idea of his being the same scoundrel who had tried to rob the shanty-boat further up the river. After they had placed Morehead Landing some distance in the rear they found themselves in a very lonely place, indeed. Evidently they must be approaching the swamp spoken of by the friendly storekeeper. Here and there they could see trailing streamers of Spanish moss clinging to the branches of the trees; and the further they went the more desolate their surroundings became. "Say, ain't it enough to give a feller the shivers?" observed Thad, when an owl began to hoot in a mournful way back from the road. "I must say it doesn't seem to be particularly cheerful around this region. But we must be more'n half way there; and nothing's happened yet," returned Maurice, stoutly. "There, what was that?" asked his chum, coming to a sudden stop. "Where?" demanded Maurice, who had taken his turn at carrying the gun; and as he spoke bringing it half way up to his shoulder, while his thumb played with one of the hammers. "I saw something moving ahead; sure I did!" declared Thad, shaking that obstinate head of his the whole. "Perhaps so, but that's not saying it was a MAN! Did it have red hair, do you know, Thad?" "There you go, Maurice, always making fun of me. I didn't see any head, so I can't say; but it looked like a man creeping off." "Right where, son?" "Do you see that clump of bushes, the ones with the bully red leaves? Well, it was close to them. It moved just when I happened to look that way. I give you my word, Maurice." "All right. We'll find out quick enough, I reckon," remarked the other, with that decisive ring in his voice which Thad knew so well. "Now what are you goin' to do, pard? Don't be too rash. Remember what Mr. Stallings, said," and Thad laid a restraining hand on his chum's arm. But Maurice was not to be daunted. "Fall in behind me, then. I'm going up to the bushes and see for myself what it was. Ten to one it must have been a muskrat out of the swamp; or perhaps a fox, prowling around for his grub." He cocked both barrels of the Marlin, and the act must have instilled new courage in the heart of Thad, for he immediately removed his detaining hand. "All right, then; go ahead. If he jumps for you, poke the old gun in his face." He stooped down and secured possession of a stout cudgel himself, as though he felt inclined to back up his comrade after a fashion. In this manner they slowly approached the clump of bushes, where the frost had turned the leaves to rusty red color. Maurice was on the alert for any sign of trouble. He even passed partly around the clump, without discovering anything to indicate the presence of an enemy.