"Excuse me!" called Russ. "I've got to get in on this chase," and he left the two girls, and ran after Paul, who had started ahead of him.
"Oh, please be careful!" cried Ruth, nervously.
"Does that mean Paul--or Russ?" asked Alice, mischievously.
"Both!" said Ruth, with decision. "That man may be a desperate character."
"He doesn't act so," declared Alice, with a laugh. "See, he is running away."
"Yes, but if the boys catch him he may turn on them--and he may--he may have a weapon, Alice."
"Don't be silly, Ruth. Paul and Russ are able to look out for themselves. But how fast that man can run!"
The stranger was indeed making good time across the fields, and Russ and Paul did not seem to be catching up to him very fast. He had had a good start.
The other members of the company had gone in a different direction, and as the chase had started behind the old barn, neither Mr. Pertell nor any of the others could see what was taking place.
"What had we better do?" asked Ruth, with much anxiety.
"I don't see that we can do anything," replied Alice. "We certainly can't join in the pursuit."
"No, but we might tell someone--give an alarm," went on Ruth.
"No," decided Alice, after a moment of thought. "I think Russ and Paul can do better alone. We don't know what that man has done, if anything, and perhaps when the boys catch up to him he may be able to offer a perfectly good explanation. Then, in case we had set others after him, it would not be fair to him. Besides, if you think there is danger you oughtn't to want any more to share it."
"That is so," agreed Ruth. "Perhaps it will be better to let them try by themselves."
But Paul and Russ evidently were going to have no easy task in capturing the mysterious man. He was running well now, and limping scarcely at all. Either he had feigned it before, or had, in the meanwhile, recovered from his injury.
The two girls watched the chase until a depression in the fields hid the three from sight.
"We'd better go back," suggested Ruth, after a bit.
"Yes," agreed Alice, "but we won't tell the others what has happened."
As it turned out, however, the girls were not able to carry out this intention. For Mr. Pertell had a new idea in regard to some of the scenes, and wanted to consult with Russ about it.