At last, they came to a creek which ran into the river at the foot of the falls. On the south side of this creek, for some distance in, was a level, grassy plateau, and here Captain Joe picked up the scent they were looking for. The south bank showed that a boat had recently been drawn up there.
Disregarding, for the time being, all commands from the boy, the dog raced up the small stream, and finally disappeared in a thicket.
Clay hesitated, undecided as to whether he ought to follow the dog at once or return to notify Jule of his discovery and secure his assistance.
He had already lost sight of the dog, so he concluded that he might as well return to Jule. This he did, and in a short time, the boat was anchored at the mouth of the creek, and the boys were pressing on into the thicket. Captain Joe was nowhere in sight.
"They certainly are on this side of the creek," Clay reasoned, "for they couldn't very well make progress on the other side unless they traveled in an aeroplane."
There were no tracks to follow, no indications of any one having passed that way recently, but the boys kept pluckily on, listening now and then for some sign from the dog.
"If he finds Alex," Jule declared, "he'll make a note of it, and we'll hear a racket fit to wake the dead."
"And that will warn the outlaws of our approach," said Clay in a discouraged tone of voice. "Perhaps we did wrong to bring the dog."
"You may be sure Captain Joe will give a good account of himself," Jule said confidently. "He may make a racket, but it's dollars to apples that they won't catch him."
In a short time the clamor the boys had been expecting came from the forest beyond. Captain Joe was barking and growling and, judging from the commotion in the copse, was evidently threshing about.
"That's a scrap," Jule declared. "Perhaps he has caught one of the men. If he has, I hope he's got him by the throat."
Pressing into the interior of the forest, the level grassy plateau having long since disappeared, the boys finally came to a small cleared glade and discovered the cause of Captain Joe's enthusiasm.
Teddy, the cub, was standing with his back to the hole of a giant tree inviting the dog to a boxing match. Captain Joe's clamor indicated only delight at the meeting with his friend.