And the hand lay open before their
eyes. "He's been hiding in those very bushes, I tell you. A moment
sooner and we might have caught him."
His enthusiasm ran all over them as they pressed forward to examine
the second grimy hand. There were two things visible in it, and both
were moving. One, indeed, moved so fast that they hardly saw it. There
was a shining glimpse--a flash of lovely golden bronze shot through
with blue--and it was gone. Like a wee veiled torch it scuttled across
the palm, climbed the thumb, popped down the other side and dropped
upon the ground. Vanished as soon as seen!
"A beetle!" exclaimed Uncle Felix. "A tiny beetle!"
"But dipped in colour," said Stumper with enthusiasm, "the colour of
the dawn!"
"Another sign! I never!" He was envious of the soldier's triumph.
"He looks in the unlikely places," muttered the Tramp again,
approvingly. "You've been pretty warm this time." But, again, he said
it too low to be audible. Besides, Stumper's other "find" engrossed
everybody's attention. All were absorbed in the long, dainty object
that clung cautiously to his hand and showed no desire to hurry out of
sight after the brilliant beetle.
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