It looked awfully good to her, and turning her face toward Swift Hawk, she gave the man a puzzled glance.
He motioned her to silence, then made a gesture to indicate she should keep watching.
Julian’s horse followed his progress downward, and once at the foot of the bluff, Julian mounted, where he swiftly rode to the next bluff. Here, he repeated the entire process.
Angelia turned once more toward Swift Hawk. “What? It looks to me like he knows what he’s doing. Did you see? It’s brilliant. As he descends, he wipes away his trail, so that whoever is following him can’t locate him.”
Swift Hawk smiled.
“By the way. How does Jules know someone is tailing him?”
As if satisfied that she had observed what he had desired, Swift Hawk gave her a quick incline of his head. “Your brother knows there is someone following him because there are pony tracks there, and your brother sees those tracks in his field glass.” Swift Hawk pointed to the evidence. “Do you see them?”
“Ah…where? Oh yes, there they are. I can make them out faintly. Whose are they?”
Swift Hawk smiled, as though he could barely contain himself.
Seeing it, Angelia turned on him. “How can you do this toJulian? How can you find this very serious situation funny? Aren’t you supposed to be looking after him?”
He nodded. “I am.”
“Well, then, do so.” Angelia sat up, getting onto her knees, and crossed her arms over her chest. “I don’t believe this.Whatare you finding so funny?”
“This.” Motioning her forward, back onto her stomach, he pointed to the pony tracks.
“Humph!” She pouted. “I don’t see a thing.”
And then, as though Swift Hawk could stand it no longer, he laughed, full and hearty, and sitting up onto his heels, he explained, “Your brother is doing much right—all those feats he reads about in his book. He is doubling back on his own trail and erasing it as he goes, so that whoever is following him cannot see his tracks.”
“Yes, I can see that.” Angelia came up onto her knees as well. “And that seems pretty smart if you ask me.”
It was apparent she had made little impression on Swift Hawk. More laughter was her answer.
Placing her hands on her hips, she frowned at him. “Mr. Hawk, please. Compose yourself.”
Grinning, Swift Hawk rose until he was squatting upright, his thighs taking most of his weight. Pointing to the trail again, he said, “You are right. It seems smart…except your brother forgets one thing.”
“Oh?”
“He does not erase hispony’strail.”
“Yes?”
“And so he sees a pony trail following him.”
“Yes? And…?” Angelia thought a moment. Then, all at once, she understood. Closing her eyes, she shook her head and sat back, trying her best to keep from smiling. But at poor Julian’s expense. Composing herself, she observed, “I see. He’s spying his own trail.”
With hand motions, Swift Hawk sat back as well, and gave her to understand that she was completely correct. He grinned.
“My brother is following himself, going in circles, trying to find the culprit…who is himself?”
Again Swift Hawk could barely contain his mirth, and he laughed.
“Oh, Swift Hawk, haven’t you better things to do than poke fun at my brother?” she asked, although she, herself, was smiling. Fact was, she couldn’t help it. Hadn’t she told Julian that reading one book on the subject wasn’t enough?
But, no matter. She would defend her brother to the end. “Is this really necessary?”
“Very much so.”
