CHAPTER XXI.--AN UNPLEASANT SITUATION.
Dick pushed by Leonard and entered the shanty. It was true. There was nosign of either Shirley or Mabel.
"What on earth can have happened to them?" asked Leonard anxiously.
"I haven't the slightest idea," returned Dick. "We'll ask Jones."
They stepped outside again.
Upon Leonard's first cry of surprise, Jenkins and the two policemen hadmoved toward the house, and for the moment Jones had been leftunguarded. The prisoner was not slow to take advantage of hisopportunity and no sooner had his captors' backs been turned than hetook to his heels and soon disappeared in the darkness.
Consequently, when Leonard and Dick came from the shanty there was noJones to be found.
Dick turned upon Jenkins and the officers angrily.
"You are a fine bunch, you are," he said with withering scorn. "A nicelot of guards I must say. Jones has gone."
The three looked from one to the other sheepishly, and Jenkins openedhis mouth to speak.
"Never mind," said Dick. "There is no use talking about it now. Thefirst thing is to find the girls."
"And where are we to look for them?" demanded Leonard.
Dick shrugged his shoulders.
"You know as much about it as I do," he replied.
"Then," said Leonard, "I suggest that we go first to the launch, to makesure that it is all right. Jones is likely to steal it again."
"I guess you are right," said Dick. "Come on."
He stooped for a moment to lift up Jimmy Smith, who still sat on theground. The latter arose slowly and stretched his cramped limbs.
"My, but it feels good to be loose again," he said.
He followed the others toward the creek.
The party made rapid progress for they did not wish Jones to get thereahead of them. But their fear was unnecessary, for Jones, once out ofsight, had sat down, feeling safe in the darkness.
A short time after, the party of searchers arrived at the bank of thelittle stream.
"Great Scott! where's the launch?" exclaimed Leonard.
The others also uttered exclamations of astonishment. There was no signof the _Sybil_.
"Jones must have arrived ahead of us," said Jenkins.
Dick was struck with a sudden idea. He uttered a low chuckle. The othersturned upon him, and one of the officers said:
"This is no laughing matter. What's so funny, anyhow?"
"Well," said Dick, "I believe I have solved the disappearance of the_Sybil_. I am sure that it was not Jones who took it, and Uncle Briggsis still where we left him, so it could not have been him."
"Then who was it?" demanded Leonard.
"The two young ladies," replied Dick.
The others gazed at him in surprise.
"What do you mean?" asked Jenkins.
"Just what I say. In some manner they succeeded in escaping from theshanty before we arrived. Then they must have made their way back here,and finding the launch, appropriated it for their own use. You mustremember that Jones, not we, came here in the _Sybil_. The last thegirls saw of us we were in the other launch. It was impossible for themto tell we had recaptured the _Sybil_."
"I believe you are right," said Leonard.
"I'm sure of it," replied Dick.
"Then what are we to do? We are marooned here for the rest of thenight."
"Well," said Dick, "we might walk down stream. It's possible we may beable to find the other launch, which we abandoned."
"There is no use staying here, that's certain," agreed Leonard. "But thechances are we won't find it."
"There is nothing like trying," said Dick briefly. "Come on."
He led the way and the others followed.
Dick's solution of the disappearance had been correct. Left alone in thelittle shanty early in the evening, the two girls had succeeded inforcing the door. Peering out and seeing Jones and Briggs fast asleep,they had decided to make a break for liberty.
Accordingly they slipped quietly from their prison and were soon lost inthe darkness. They made their way to the bank of the creek with littledifficulty, and there came upon the _Sybil_, tied up to a tree.
"We are in luck," said Mabel. "But how does it come that the launch ishere. This looks like the place we landed, and I saw Briggs start theboat down stream."
"Then it can't be the place we landed," returned Shirley. "We must befurther down stream than we thought."
"But some one has tied the boat up," protested Shirley. "Who do yousuppose it was?"
"I haven't any idea; and I don't see that it makes any difference. We'llget aboard and start upstream immediately. Our absence is likely to bediscovered, and unless we hurry, we may be recaptured."
"Let's hurry then," said Mabel.
She untied the launch while Shirley stepped aboard and started theengine. Then giving the boat a shove, Mabel leaped aboard.
The engine sputtered once or twice, and then began to whirr regularly.The launch moved away from the shore.
Under Shirley's firm hand, it came about in a wide circle and startedupstream. Five minutes later they were rounding a curve that hid thestarting point.
As the boat went round the bend, Mabel looking back, thought she madeout several figures standing upon the bank. She told her discovery toShirley.
"I guess Jones has discovered that we have escaped," said Shirley."However, we are safe enough now."
She increased the speed of the little craft, and it rushed on throughthe dark and murky water, both girls keeping a keen lookout ahead.
Neither had any idea how far they were from Paris, for their course hadbeen changed so often.
"We'll just have to keep going until we get there," said Shirley.
"I expect your father will be terribly worried," said Mabel.
"I know he will," was the reply. "Poor Dad, he will think I have falleninto the hands of the conspirators. He probably has the whole town outlooking for us."
"What do you suppose has happened to Leonard, Dick and the others?"
"I don't know. They have probably gone further down stream. It isn'tlikely that they noticed the _Sybil_ so close to shore."
For hours, it seemed to the two girls, they continued their journey, andat last the first faint signs of dawn appeared in the east.
"I am glad day is coming," said Mabel. "We can see where we are going."
At that moment there came a faint sputtering from the engine, and thenit came to a dead stop.
"What's the matter?" asked Mabel anxiously.
Shirley made a hasty examination.
"Fuel supply exhausted," she said. "No more gasoline."
"My gracious!" ejaculated Mabel, in dismay. "What shall we do?"
"We'll have to wait until it's a little lighter," replied her friend,"and then we'll see if we can't paddle ashore. There is no telling howfar we may be from town, but I reckon we shall have to walk it."
"I suppose there is no help for it," said Mabel. "However, we are out ofdanger."
The boat stood still in the middle of the stream for perhaps half anhour, and then both became conscious of a faint chugging far down thestream. "Some one coming," said Mabel, "maybe they will give us a lift."
"Perhaps it is Jones," said Shirley uneasily.
"Dear me! I hope not!" sighed Mabel.
"So do I. We have had enough trouble for one day."
They continued to gaze down stream.
A few minutes later a second launch came into view around the bend inthe creek. The girls were able to make out several figures. It wasapparent, also, that the men in the boat had seen them.
One stood up, and a faint hail came across the water.
"It must be Jones," said Mabel. "And he has seen us, too. What shall wedo?"
"We'll try and get ashore," said Shirley quietly.
In the far end of the boat she had seen a pair of oars. She got theseout hurriedly, and set to work with a will. The _Sybil_ moved shoreward,slowly at first, and then more
swiftly as Shirley settled herself to hertask.
Both girls kept close watch on their pursuers. They could not make outthe faces of its occupants--it was still too dark--nor did theyrecognize the voices that hailed them frequently. It was plain, however,that the pursuing launch was gaining.
"It must be Jones," cried Shirley. "Be ready to jump the minute we runaground, Mabel."
Mabel signified that she understood, and gathering up her skirts, shestood up in the prow of the launch.
A moment later the little craft grounded with a shock. Mabel leapedlightly ashore, and turned to lend Shirley a hand. But this wasunnecessary, for the moment she realized the boat had struck bottom,Shirley dropped the oars and also sprang ashore.
Quickly she grasped her friend by the hand.
"Run!" she cried, and suited the action to the word.
Swiftly the two girls sped over the uneven ground toward shelter of adense clump of trees not far away. And they disappeared among these justas the second launch grounded and several figures leaped ashore.
The first of the pursuers caught a glimpse of the two figuresdisappearing in the woods, and immediately gave chase. The othersfollowed him.
Hearing pursuing footsteps, the girls redoubled their efforts and weresoon, they believed, safe from pursuit. They sat down quickly, to take amuch-needed rest.
There came the sound of footsteps crashing through the underbrush.Shirley glanced about.
"Up in this tree, quick, Mabel," she exclaimed
She lent her friend a hand, and a minute later they were high up amongthe branches, where they could peer down without being seen. And at thatmoment a voice called out:
"Shirley! Mabel!"
"My gracious!" exclaimed Mabel. "It's Leonard."
The girls looked at each other somewhat sheepishly.