haversack was attached. They could plainly hear him grumbling to himself as
he thrust his hand inside.

Drawing out the little wad of paper in the midst of which Max had secured
the latest find, Steve could be seen carefully closing the bag again.

He did not look around once to see if he was observed, a fact that puzzled
Owen greatly; but passing over to where the cooking outfit lay he calmly
picked up the extra coffee pot, raised the lid, pushed the packet in with
the other stuff that seemed to lie hidden there, and once more placing the
strange pearl bank down, Steve made his way back to his blanket.

He stepped over the forms of Toby and Bandy-legs while so doing, and never
once touched them with his feet. Max believed he could hardly have
duplicated the act, and his astonishment increased accordingly.

Steve seemed to give a satisfied grunt as he settled down again under his
blanket. It was about what one would emit after having felt that he had
done his duty.

Owen heard Max laughing softly to himself.

"What does it all mean, Max?" he whispered, as he heard Steve begin to
breathe regularly once more.

"Tell you in the morning," replied the other. "Too long a story for now.
Besides, I want Steve to be around at the time, you see."

"That's mean of you," grumbled the disappointed one.