When he spoke again there was a settled look of grim determination on his face that Thad could easily understand, knowing the other as well as he did.
"It isn't my way to show the white feather when the first cold wind starts to blowing, Thad, and no matter what Nick is planning to do I'm not going to give him the first chance to profit by my discovery of that short-cut route from road to road." "That means you decline to be shoved off the path, does it, Hugh ?" "If I start in that race, as I expect to," Hugh told him, "I intend to make use of that short-cut, no matter if a dozen Tip Slavins, and Pete Dudleys are lying in wait to trip me up.

But I'm much obliged to you all the same, Thad, for your warning.

I'll be on my guard from this time on, and they're not going to trap me with my eyes blinded, I tell you that." Thad seemed to be lost in thought himself for a minute or so.
Possibly he was trying to figure out how he could best serve his comrade in such an emergency.

The gloomy woods surrounding the old quarry did not possess any attraction in the eyes of Thad Stevens.
Though he had not shown the same degree of alarm as Horatio and Julius at the time they heard those remarkable sounds, so like human shrieks, nevertheless, Thad felt no hankering after another similar experience.
Still he would brave much in order to help the chum whose interests were so dear to his own heart.

He did not say what was in his mind, only looked a bit wise, as he once more turned to Hugh, as though his mind had been finally made up.
"Just as you think best, Hugh," he went on to say quietly.