e he doesn't understand is silly. But
we do know this unknown man has some kind of influence over our chum;
what it is we're going to find out before we're many days older."

"I like to hear you say that, Elmer," cried Landy, "because I just seem
to believe the thing's more'n half done when you put _your_ hand to the
plough. I can't help but think how poor Hen must be feeling right now,
after getting himself in such a fix."

"How about those tracks we started out to find?" asked Toby just then.

"We'll give another look before closing shop," replied the patrol
leader. "Just fetch the lantern over, Johnny; they'd be apt to head
away from the barn."

It was really in the direction of the near-by swamp that they now
commenced to look. The wisdom of Elmer's figuring was soon made
manifest, for they quickly ran across what they were looking for.

"Here you are," said Elmer, "and now get busy, Landy."

"Yes, drop down on your marrow-bones and see what you make of the
footprints," Lil Artha told the fat scout.

Now Landy had had fair training in certain kinds of work associated
with scout-craft. He had even taken numerous lessons in following a
trail, though giving poor promise of ever being a shining light in that
respect.

"Please hold the lantern closer, Johnny," he said, as he thrust his
nose down near the ground; "yes, here's a footprint as clear as
anybody'd want to see; and I sure ought to know the person who made the
same."

"Tell us why, Landy?" asked Elmer, with a pleased smile.

"That's an easy thing to do, Elmer. You see that diagonal mark across
the toe of this impression--well, that's caused by a patch on the left
shoe. All right, Hen Condit had just such a patch put on his shoe a
week ago last Saturday."

"You know that for a fact, do you, Landy?" questioned the patrol
leader, who did not want any guessing about this business.

"Why, I sat there all the time the cobbler was working at the same,
having accompanied Hen to the shoemaker's shop," continued Landy.
"What's more I joshed him about the fine and dandy track he made every
time he stepped in some half-hard mud that day after he left the shop.
Oh! I'm as sure of this footprint as I am that my name's Landy Smith."

"Well, then, we've had double evidence," spoke up Ted Burgoyne; "and I
gueth that ought to thettle the matter. Ith our Hen that was dragged
up by the heelth. Elmer, will it pay uth to try and follow the trail?"

"Hardly