The Blue Grass Seminary Girls' Vacation Adventures Part 35

"The lad is right," murmured Jenkins.

"Then how do you account for the launch being here?" asked one of the policemen.

"Easily," said d.i.c.k. "They started the engine and let her go. See, the engine is still running, and if she had not been caught in this bunch of weeds she would still be going down stream."

"You are right," Leonard agreed. "And there is no telling how far back they deserted her. What shall we do?"

"First," said Jenkins, "we'll reoccupy the _Sybil_ and leave the other launch here."

"After which," said d.i.c.k, "we'll turn back, and go slowly, keeping as close to sh.o.r.e as possible. We may be able to find where they landed."

This plan was adopted. Jenkins turned the _Sybil's_ head upstream once more, and they started off slowly, keeping close in-sh.o.r.e.

For half an hour they moved along, and then d.i.c.k's keen eyes caught sight of a piece of white fluttering from a bush fifty feet ahead. He looked at it steadily for a few moments, and then gave a start.

"Run in here," he commanded Jenkins.

The latter did as he was told. d.i.c.k leaped lightly ash.o.r.e and approached the fluttering piece of white, which he now saw was a handkerchief. He picked it up and returned to the boat.

"Do you recognize this?" he asked, pa.s.sing it to Leonard.

Leonard glanced at it carefully. In one corner were two small initials.

"M.A.," he read. "Mabel Ashton," he exclaimed. "How do you suppose that got there?"

"It's plain enough," said d.i.c.k simply. "She dropped it there in the hopes that we might find it, and so learn where they had landed."

"Then," said Leonard, "there should be footprints."

"Not here," said d.i.c.k. "You will notice that the ground is very rocky.

Evidently that is the reason Jones selected this spot to land."

"By Jove!" said Leonard.

d.i.c.k spoke again. "They must have gone this way. We might as well get out and look around a bit."

Accordingly all stepped ash.o.r.e.

"Now," said d.i.c.k, "I would suggest that we all spread out, keeping about a hundred yards apart, and go straight ahead."

Leonard, who had been scrutinizing the ground carefully, uttered an exclamation. The others hurried to him.

"A path!" exclaimed Leonard. "They probably went this way."

"We'll see where the path leads at any rate," said d.i.c.k. "Nevertheless I suggest that we spread out just the same. They may not have stuck to the path."

This plan was acted upon, and the five spread on either side of the path. Leonard took the path, while on his right were the two officers, each a hundred yards apart, and on his left Jenkins and d.i.c.k, also the same distance apart.

They started forward.

For half an hour they walked on, and gradually the woods became more dense, making progress difficult. Suddenly it began to grow dark.

Leonard glanced at his watch.

"Great Scott!" he exclaimed. "It's after six. I had no idea it was so late."

He gave a shrill whistle, a prearranged signal, and the others came toward him.

"We must try and do something before dark," he explained. "We don't want to stay here all night, and we can't give up the chase until we have found the girls."

"We shall have to go more swiftly, then," said d.i.c.k. "Back to your places, men."

All spread out again, and the advance continued.

Suddenly Leonard spied something white in the path ahead of him. He stooped and picked it up. It was a second handkerchief. Leonard looked for some mark of identification. In a corner he found the initials "S.W."

"We are on the right track," he muttered to himself.

And then he stopped still.

Two shrill whistles split the air.

A moment more and the others gathered around him.

"What's the matter?" they asked.

d.i.c.k, the last to appear, came up at that moment.

"I've found them," he whispered.

"Where?" demanded the others.

"There is a little shack a short distance ahead," d.i.c.k explained. "I could see smoke coming from the chimney. I feel sure that Jones, thinking he has given us the slip, has ordered a halt."

"Well," said Leonard, "what are we going to do about it? We can't stand here all night."

"The thing to do," said Jenkins, "is to surround the place, and then close in on them. There are only two of them."

"You'll find there will only be one when it comes to a fight," said d.i.c.k grimly. "My uncle Briggs won't take a hand."

"So much the better," said Leonard. "Then we have only Jones to contend with."

"Right," said d.i.c.k, "and Jones is for me to handle."

Leonard looked at him peculiarly.

"Oh, all right," he said. "If that's the way you feel about it I won't interfere unless you have need of me."

"I won't have any need of you," was the reply. "But come, let's get busy."