He resolved not to show himself until he had discovered
the identity of the newcomers.
They proved to be two men who halted a short distance beyond him,
and began to converse in guarded tones. It was so dark that Phil
could scarcely distinguish their figures and their voices were
pitched so low that it was impossible for him to hear what they
were saying.
"This looks queer," Phil muttered. "I wish I could hear what
they are talking about. Perhaps they are town fellows who have
been chased off the lot because they were in the way. At any
rate, I'm going to try to find out what they are up to.
Hello, they are coming right over here."
Phil crouched down behind the knoll and listened. The men turned
slowly and came toward him. All at once one of them stumbled on
the very knoll behind which he was secreted.
The man uttered a growl.
"Come, sit down," he said to his companion.
"We better go on," answered the other.
"No hurry. We've got all the time in the world. If we miss the
boat we can swim. That was a narrow escape. In a minute more
we'd had that wagon fixed so they would never have got off the
lot with it.
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