Chapter XII

           AsFrecklesleftthetrail,fromtheswaleclosethesouthentrance,fourlargemuscularmenaroseandswiftlyandcarefullyenteredtheswampbythewagonroad.Twoofthemcarriedabigsaw,thethird,coilsofropeandwire,andallofthemwereheavilyarmed.Theyleftonemanonguardattheentrance.Theotherthreemadetheirwaythroughthedarknessasbesttheycould,andweresoonatFreckles’room.Hehadlefttheswamponhiswheelfromthewesttrail.Theycountedonhisreturningonthewheelandcirclingtheeastlinebeforehecamethere.

           AlittlebelowthewestentrancetoFreckles’room,BlackJacksteppedintotheswale,andbindingawiretightlyaroundascruboak,carrieditbelowthewavinggrasses,stretchedittautacrossthetrail,andfastenedittoatreeintheswamp.Thenheobliteratedallsignsofhiswork,andarrangedthegrassoverthewireuntilitwassocompletelycoveredthatonlyminuteexaminationwouldrevealit.TheyenteredFreckles’roomwithcoarseoathsandjests.Inafewmoments,hisspecimencasewithitspreciouscontentswasrolledintotheswamp,whilethesawwaseatingintooneofthefinesttreesoftheLimberlost.

           ThefirstreportfromthemanonwatchwasthatDuncanhaddriventotheSouthcamp;thesecond,thatFreckleswascoming.Themanwatchingwassenttoseeonwhichsidetheboyturnedintothepath;astheyhadexpected,hetooktheeast.Hewasalittletiredandhisheadwasratherstupid,forhehadnotbeenabletosleepashehadhoped,buthewasveryhappy.