d Jack. "I almost feel, now that we
are out in the woods, that Cora is along. It is tough to think
anything else."

"Perhaps she is. I never felt as encouraged as I do to-night,"
declared Ed. "Somehow we started out to win and we've got to do it!"

Now, the one great difficulty of this searching tour was that of not
sounding the horns, consequently they had to feel their way, as on
almost any part of the mountain roads there might be stray cottagers,
or campers, or rustics, in danger of being run down.

The lights flashed brightly as if trying to do their part in the search
for Cora Kimball.

Giant trees threw formidable shadows, and smaller ones whispered the
secrets of the wood. But the girls and boys, and the women and men
were too seriously bent upon their work to notice any signs so
unimportant.

Suddenly Jack turned off his power. He wanted to listen.

"Did you hear anything?" asked Ed.

"Thought I did, but these evergreens make all sorts of noises."

"The others are making for the hill. We had best not lose sight of
them," suggested Ed.

At this Jack started up again and was soon under way. But something
had sounded "human." He felt that there must be some sort of life near
them.

In a few minutes he was alongside the other cars.

"What kept you?" asked Bess, eager for anything new.

"Nothing," replied Ed. "We just wanted to listen."

"We will leave the cars here and walk. I thought I saw a light," said
Jack.

"I am sure I did," declared Bess. "Oh, If only we find a cave, there
are enough of us----"

"The young ladies should not venture too deep in the woods," suggested
Officer Brown. "We had best leave them with one of the young men here."

"Oh, no," objected Belle. "We must go with you. We are better in a
crowd."

"Just as you say. But look! Is not that a light?"

They were almost in front of the old house. Cora and Helka were tying
the rope to the open window.

"Sing! Sing!" whispered Lena, at the door. "Mother Hull is listening."

Quickly Cora picked up the instrument again, and, although voice and
hands trembled, she sang once more the last verse of the "Gypsy's
Warning," while Helka played her little harp.

"Hark! Hark!" shrieked Bess. "That is Cora's voice! Listen!"

Spellbound they stood.

"Yes," shouted Belle. "That's Cora!"

"Oh, quick," gasped Betty, "she may stop, and then----"

A rustle in the bushes close by startled them. A man groped his wa