A STRANGE OCCURRENCE
The man with the lantern advanced to the edge of the porch, holding the
lantern at arm's length and shoulder high. In the flickering light Bob
and Hugh could see the others putting on their overcoats. Presently there
was a flash of light as the powerful searchlights of an automobile were
turned on; only for a second or two, however, as they were quickly
extinguished.
"There's the gray roadster," whispered Hugh.
The two boys were crouched behind a fallen tree, an obstruction they had
been on the point of climbing when they had spied the lantern. They could
hear the men walking about near the house, and frequently could even
catch the sound of voices.
Presently they heard the whirr of a motor. Dimmed lights were turned on
in the roadster and soon it started.
"Lie low," whispered Hugh. "They mustn't see us."
Bob needed no cautioning on that score, however.
The car rumbled toward them as if it were feeling its way. The
wagon-road was some ten yards to the left of the spot where the two boys
were concealed. Directly to it the roadster went, its two glowing eyes
giving it the appearance of some gigantic bug. With bated breath Hugh and
Bob watched its progress. Presently it passed them and lumbered away over
the rough road.
"How many men were in it?" whispered Hugh.
"Three, I think."
"There were only two when we passed it in front of your house."
"I know it. There must be a couple more men here, too."
"Ssh," hissed Hugh softly, grasping his companion by the wrist.
Voices could be heard, coming nearer and nearer to their hiding place.
Once again the two boys almost stopped breathing while they waited for
the speakers to pass. They could make out two shadowy forms following the
same course taken by the automobile. The two men conversed earnestly
together in tones so low, that the listeners could not overhear what was
said. After a few moments the sound of the voices died away and Hugh and
Bob were left alone. That is, they were alone as far as they could tell.
"Well," said Hugh finally. "They're gone."
"Seems so," admitted Bob. "We can't be sure though."
"Were those men talking German?"
"I couldn't tell."
"Neither could I for sure, but I thought they were."
"Probably so," said Bob. "At any rate it looks to me as if there was some
queer business going on in this place."
"It certainly does. I wonder what's in that house?"
"Shall we go and see?"
"You don't catch me in that house at this time of night," said
Hugh grimly.
"How about coming out here to-morrow, then?"
"To-morrow's Saturday, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"All right," said Hugh. "I'll come out with you."
"And now we'd better go home."
"I guess we had. It must be nearly midnight."
They arose from their cramped positions on the ground and stealthily
began to retrace their steps. They were even more wary on their way out
than they had been going in, for they could not be sure that they would
not meet some of the men they had seen about the old house. Just before
they came to the end of the wagon-road they heard the sound of a motor
and saw the lights of an automobile speeding down the main road in the
direction of High Ridge.
"Sounds like our car," said Bob. "All those motors make the same sort
of noise."
"Pretty good ears you have," remarked Hugh.
"You ought to see old Heinie," said Bob. "He may look stupid, but he can
tell almost any make of car just by the noise it makes."
"What'll he say when you get home?" queried Hugh.
"He'll be mad. He doesn't think I know how to drive the car, and if there
is any dirt on it he'll be madder yet."
"The roads aren't muddy now though."
"I know it, but he'll be cross if there's dust on it even."
They emerged on the main road, looked carefully in both directions, and
then still keeping to the side of the road, started back toward the spot
where they had left the car. A ghostly moon, in its last quarter, shed
its pale light on the highway, and aided the boys to distinguish their
surroundings.
"There's the place," said Bob a moment later.
They ran quickly across the road and hurried towards the clump of trees
where they had hidden the car. Both boys would feel relieved when they
were seated in their conveyance once more, and on their way home. It was
nervous work prowling around the countryside at night with a suspicious
gang of men lurking near.
Bob and Hugh hurried along side by side and presently came to the patch
of trees, which was their destination. A feeling of relief came over them
that soon they would be speeding back to High Ridge.
Suddenly Bob uttered an exclamation of surprise and stopped short.
"The car is gone," he gasped.