n," offered Greg.

"Thank you for one trusting soul," said Dave gratefully.

"But one thing I do know," Greg went on.

"What?" asked Darry.

"Even if our strange fellow was here, he is here no longer, and
moreover, he has succeeded in getting away without leaving any
trace," young Holmes continued. "So I'm going to join the delegation
that returns to camp."

Only Dick and Dave were left standing there by the cleft rock.

The sun had sunk below the horizon, but the light was still strong.

"If you fellows had taken it easily, as I asked," complained Dave,
"we might have gotten hold of that elusive chap. To me he looked
hungry. I thought he was eyeing our camp longingly, as though
he'd like to stroll down and ask us for food. But that startling
charge of the light brigade must have bewildered or frightened
him---and so he went up in smoke, as he has always done when we've
sighted him.

"It wouldn't surprise me if we could find which way he has gone,"
whispered Prescott.

"What do you mean?"

"Look where I'm pointing with the toe of my boot," Dick went on.

"I'm looking."

"Do you see anything?"

"The earth."

"Look harder!"

Down went Darry to his knees.

"Look out," warned Dick, "or you'll obliterate it."

"And I was bragging of my good eyesight," grunted Darry. "Why,
this is a footprint, and none of our crowd saw it."

"Besides, it's the print of a bare foot," Prescott went on. "You
see the way in which it is pointing?"

"Yes; toward that patch of low bushes yonder. But our chap couldn't
have run through those low bushes, or we'd have seen him."

"Yes; if he had been holding himself erect."

"Or even had he crouched and run," Dave affirmed.

"Dave Darrin, you've played baseball, if my recollection serves
me correctly."

"Of course."

"Did you ever slide for a base?"

"What-----"

"Or see anyone else slide for base?"

"Then our man-----"

"He held himself low and ran as far as the bushes," Dick went
on. "Then he fell and slid for it through the low bushes. See,
here's the second print of a bare foot, and the direction is the
same."

"Don't tell our mutton-head chums about it," Darrin begged. "Let's
follow it up ourselves."

"All right," nodded Dick; "but if we find our fellow, don't let
him suspect that we've reached his hiding place and know it.
We'll just see what we can find out, and not give ourselves away."

"Go ahead," begged Darry.

"Remember, I'm not certai