"Of course," continued Thad, "I couldn't make out what he was like, very
well, because his face was turned away from me; but as near as I can say
he was a big man, a rough looking chap, and ugly in the bargain. More
than that, he struck me like he might be a half-breed, or else an
Italian, for his skin was very dark."

"Well, what did he do?" inquired the other.

"Just lay there watching the rest of you for several minutes, Allan. I
could see him elevate his head at times, and then duck like a flash when
he thought some one might be looking his way; which showed pretty
plainly that he didn't want to be seen, and that he didn't mean to step
forward and join the crowd."

"Then he went away, did he?" continued the other.

"Yes, backed off, and I lost track of him among the rocks and the
bushes," Thad went on to say, impressively. "It struck me as a queer
proceeding, and I didn't lose much time in getting you out here, so I
could talk it over."

"Perhaps there's only one, all told, and he might be some fellow who's
escaped from prison, and is in hiding away off here, where he thinks no
one will ever take the trouble to look for him," Allan suggested.

The scout-master shook his head.

"I can't say just what he is, or whether there's a dozen here," he
observed; "but I do know that all his actions were suspicious, for no
honest fisherman would do what he did."