"They can't have gone so very far, in that dense woods," answered Tom. "Why, the auto couldn't get through."
At last the boys were ready to continue the search, and stick and lantern in hand, Dick led the way, with Tom and Sam close behind. They had to bend close to the ground, to make sure that they were following the tracks of the touring car.
The trail led among the trees onto what was evidently a road used for hauling out timber. Following this for about a quarter of a mile, the youths discovered a dark object, resting near what looked to be the end of the road.
"Anybody around?" questioned Tom, in an equally low voice.
"I don't know. Be careful and we'll see."
With extreme caution the boys walked closer to the touring car and then all around it. Nobody was at hand, and not a sound broke the silence of the night.
"Deserted!" whispered Sam. "Where did they go to, I wonder?"
"Hush!" returned Dick. "They may be close enough to hear you."
With strained ears, the Rover boys listened for some sound that might indicate the presence in that vicinity of those they were after. But they heard nothing but the call of a night bird and the far-off hoot of an owl.
"They have gone on," said Dick, at last. "We'll have to find the trail and follow. Maybe I'll have to light the lantern."
"Say, let us fix the auto first--so they can't use it, if they come back!" exclaimed Tom.
"A good idea, Tom," answered his big brother. And, as soon as Dick had lighted the lantern, Tom and Sam set to work to render the touring car unusable for the time being by turning off the flow of gasoline from the tank and disconnecting the spark plugs.
"That will keep 'em guessing for a while, if they try to run it," was Sam's comment.
In the meantime Dick was examining the ground, and soon he found the mark of many footprints in the moss and leaves. They led along a well-defined footpath running through the woods and up something of a hill.
"They went this way," he said. "The fact is, I don't see how they could go any other,--the brushwood is so thick."
"Maybe there's a house back there," suggested Tom.
"I shouldn't be surprised. That path must lead to somewhere."
The boys had just started to move along the footpath when from out of the darkness came an unexpected hail: