He was baffled and a little chagrined.

But no supplementary inspection revealed so much as a single hair.
Thus confounded, he examined the tracks more carefully.

He followed them up to where they emerged from the lower reaches of the mountain.

Then he followed them back, aided where they were dim by the deeper prints of Hervey's shoes.

Skinny sat upon the log waiting for him.
On the side of the log nearest the mountain the tracks turned and went sideways along the log for perhaps a yard to a point where the log was low and somewhat broken.