THE FINDING OF THE "BUTTERFLY."
"Well, what next?" asked Jimsy.
"Make a search of those woods, I suppose," replied Roy; "there's nothing
else to do."
"No, the trail has brought us here," replied Peggy energetically;
"we must make a determined effort to find the _Butterfly_."
"Maybe they've damaged it so that we won't be able to do anything with
it when we do get it," spoke Jimsy presently.
"Whom do you mean by they?" asked Roy.
"As if you didn't know. Is there any doubt in your mind that that fellow
Cassell is at the bottom of all this?"
"Not very much, I'll admit," replied Roy; "I wonder if that accounts for
the inactivity of the police."
"In just what way?"
"Well, the fellow's a local politician and has a lot of 'pull'."
"He _must_ have, to get away with anything like this," was Jimsy's
indignant outburst.
"Well, don't let us waste time speculating," put in Peggy, in her brisk
manner; "the thing to do now is to get back the _Golden Butterfly_."
"You're right, Peg," came from both boys.
By this time they were out of the car, which they left standing at the
roadside while they examined the vicinity for tracks. But the grass in
the field was fairly long and no traces remained. Yet, inasmuch as the
tracks of the _Butterfly_ ended at the gap in the hedge, it was manifest
that that was the point at which it had been wheeled off the road.
"What next?" asked Jimsy, as it became certain that there was little use
in searching for a trail in the meadow.
"It's like looking for a needle in that proverbial haystack," struck
in Peggy.
"In my opinion we need the patience of Job and the years of old
Methuselah," opined Jimsy.
Roy alone was not discouraged.
"It can't be so very far off," he urged; "it stands to reason that they
can't have come much further than this since midnight, supposing the
machine to have been stolen about that hour."
The others agreed with him.
"We'll search all around here, including those woods," declared Peggy.
"Well, they can't have taken it very far into the woods," declared
Jimsy; "the spread of its wings would prevent that."
"That's so," agreed Roy; "I think we are getting pretty 'warm' right
now."
"All I am afraid of is that they may have damaged it," breathed Peggy
anxiously.
"It would be in line with their other tactics," agreed Roy; "men who
would try to burn down a stable with two boys in it, just to obtain
revenge for a fancied insult or injury, are capable of anything."
Without further waste of time they crossed the meadow and came to the
edge of the wood. At the outskirts of the woods the trees grew thinly
and it was plain that it would have been possible to wheel an aëroplane
into their shadow, despite the breadth of its wing-spread.
They passed under the outlying trees and presently emerged into a small,
open space, in the midst of which was a hut. Just beyond this hut was a
sight that caused them to shout aloud with joy. There, apparently
unharmed, stood the missing aëroplane.
"Hurray!" shouted Roy, dashing forward.
The others were close on his heels. In their excitement they paid little
or no attention to the surroundings. It might have been better for them
had they done so. As they dashed across the clearing two male figures
slipped off among the thicker trees that lay beyond the open space and
the hut.
A brief examination showed them that the aëroplane was undamaged. There
were a few scratches on it, but beyond that it appeared in perfect
condition.
"We'll fly back," declared Jimsy to Peggy; "Roy can run the auto home."
"That's agreeable to me," responded Roy; "but suppose we examine the
vicinity first. We might get a clew as to the rascals who are
responsible for this."
"That's true," agreed Jimsy.
"Then suppose we start with the hut first."
They accepted this proposition eagerly. The hut was a substantial
looking building with a padlock on the door. But the portal stood wide
open, the padlock hanging in a hasp.
"What if anyone pounces on us?" asked Peggy in rather a scared tone.
"No fear of that," replied Roy, "the place is plainly unoccupied."
They entered the hut and found it to be as primitive inside as its
exterior would indicate. A table and two rude chairs stood within.
These, with the exception of a rusty cook stove in one corner, formed
the sole furnishings. There was not even a window in the place.
"Nothing much to be found here," declared Roy after a cursory
examination; "I guess this shack was put up by lumbermen or hunters.
It doesn't seem to have been occupied for a long time."
"I guess the men who took the aëroplane must have been pretty familiar
with the place though," opined Jimsy.
"No doubt of that," replied Roy, "but that doesn't give us any clew to
their identity beyond bare suspicions."
"Yes, and suspicions aren't much good in law," chimed in Peggy,
"they--Good gracious!"
The door closed suddenly with a bang. Before Jimsy could spring across
the room to open it there came a sharp click.
"Somebody's padlocked it on the outside!" he cried.
"And we're prisoners!" gasped Peggy.
"Yes, and without any chance of getting out, either," declared Jimsy;
"there's not even a window in the place."
"Well this is worse and more of it," cried Roy. "Who can have done
that?"
"The same people that stole the _Golden Butterfly,"_ declared Peggy.
"Hark!"
Outside they heard rapidly retreating footsteps, followed by a harsh
laugh.
"Let us out!" shouted Roy.
"You can stay there till judgment day, for all I care," came back a
hoarse, rasping voice; "you kids were too fresh, and now you're getting
what's coming to you."