lves.

By their gestures Tom concluded that they were debating where to
hide the box. One man pointed toward the lake, and another toward
the forest. Tom was edging himself up farther, in order to see
better, and, if possible, catch their words, when his foot slipped,
and he made a slight noise. Instantly the men turned toward the
window, but Tom had stooped down out of sight, just in time.

A moment later, however, he heard some one approaching through the
woods behind him, and a voice called out:

"What are you doing? Get away from there!"

Rapid footsteps sounded, and Tom, in a panic, turned and fled, with
an unknown pursuer after him.

CHAPTER XXIV.

UNEXPECTED HELP

Tom rushed on through the woods. The lighted room into which he had
been looking had temporarily blinded him when it came to plunging
into the darkness again, and he could not see where he was going. He
crashed full-tilt into a tree, and was thrown backward. Bruised and
cut, he picked himself up and rushed off in another direction.
Fortunately he struck into some sort of a path, probably one made by
cows, and then, as his eyes recovered their faculties, he could
dimly distinguish the trees on either side of him and avoid them.

His heart, that was beating fiercely, calmed down after his first
fright, and when he had run on for several minutes he stopped.

"That--that must--have been--the--the man--from the boat," panted
our hero, whispering to himself. "He came back and saw me. I wonder
if he's after me yet?"

Tom listened. The only sound he could hear was the trill and chirp
of the insects of the woods. The pursuit, which had lasted only a
few minutes, was over. But it might be resumed at any moment. Tom
was not safe yet, he thought, and he kept on.

"I wonder where I am? I wonder where my motor-cycle is? I wonder
what I had better do?" he asked himself.

Three big questions, and no way of settling them; Tom pulled himself
up sharply.

"I've got to think this thing out," he resumed. "They can't find me
in these woods to-night, that's sure, unless they get dogs, and
they're not likely to do that. So I'm safe that far. But that's
about all that is in my favor. I won't dare to go back to the house,
even if I could find it in this blackness, which is doubtful. It
wouldn't be safe, for they'll be on guard now. It looks as though I
was up against it. I'm afraid they may imagine the police are after
them, and go away. If they do, and