joe duncan leaped to his chum’s side. eagerly he looked at the bit of cloth which, caught on a thorn bush, had ripped from some man’s garment. the cloth was not weather-beaten, which, to the boys, showed that it had not long been hanging there.
“blake, i believe you’re right,” assented his chum. “they went this way, and they must have done it for a blind, or else to get to some path that goes farther down the beach a different way,” for the cloth was caught on a bush toward the landward side of the little clearing.
“we’ll follow this,” said blake.
“of course,” agreed his chum.
they pushed into the bushes. there was no semblance of a path, but this did not discourage the boys. they realized that the wreckers would want to cover up their trail, and would take a way that would not seem to lead anywhere.
“this will branch off pretty soon,” was blake’s opinion. “this is just a blind, to make us believe they have given up, and gone inland. come on, joe, and keep a sharp lookout for any other signs.”
they found none for some time, and then they came to a little open place where the soft ground held several footprints.
“we’re getting warmer!” exclaimed joe.
“hush!” cautioned his chum. “they may hear us.”
“why, you don’t think they’re around here; do you?”
“there’s no telling. it’s best to be on the safe side. keep quiet. hello! here’s something else!” and blake, moving cautiously, so as not to make any more noise than possible, picked up a bit of metal.
“what is it?” asked joe.
“part of their lantern,” answered his chum. “it was made of black sheet iron, you remember. this piece may have fallen off when they dragged it through the bushes. we’re on the right trail, all right.”
“i believe you. but i wish it would turn on to a better path. it’s no fun forcing your way through these bushes.”
“it’ll turn soon now,” predicted blake. “they 160only took this lead long enough to discourage pursuit. they didn’t like it any better than we do.”
his surmise proved correct and about five minutes later, having found other evidences of the passage of the wreckers, they came out on an open trail.
it was a narrow path, leading along in both directions from where they came out on it, and following the coast line, but some distance inland. there were evidences that men had passed in both directions, and that at no distant time, for footprints turned to both the left and right, as the boys emerged from the blind trail in the brush.
“well, what about this?” questioned joe, as he looked in silence at the tell-tale marks. “which way shall we go, blake?”
“to the right!” came the answer, almost immediately.
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