his be a sly trick on the part of
some enemy, meant to lure him into the brush and rocks, where he
could, perhaps, be overpowered? But Nick, as well as his two
satellites, Leon Disney and Tip Slavin, had been on the grounds at
the time Hugh started his run, for he had taken particular notice of
this fact; consequently, it was hardly likely that they could be
concerned in any practical joke; and certainly no other fellow would
be guilty of such a thing.

That decided Hugh. He left the road, and started toward the spot
where he judged that strange sound had welled forth. The country was
exceedingly rough just there, and he fancied that some sort of deep
gully, possibly a precipice, might lie off on his right, judging from
the aspect of the land.

Not hearing the sound again, Hugh uttered a loud hello. Then, as he
continued to press hastily forward, he once more caught the
beseeching cry. It had an agonizing strain to it, and Hugh could
plainly make out the words:

"Help! Oh! help! help!"

Someone was evidently in trouble, Hugh decided, accelerating his pace
as well as the conditions of the rough surface of the ground
permitted. He had taken pains to locate the cry this time, and was,
therefore, altering his course just a little.

Again he called, and once more received a reply, more fearful than
before:

"Hurry! Oh! hurry, before it gives way, and I'm lost!"

It sounded more like the voice of a girl than anything else. Hugh
was thrilled at the bare thought of one of the opposite sex being
caught in a trap whereby life itself was imperiled.

He had been ascending all this time. From a single look, which he
cast over his shoulder, he could see the road he had lately come
along, trace its course, in fact, until it was lost at a bend half a
mile away.

He noted that a runner had just turned that same bend, and was
jogging along in a rhythmic, contented fashion, as though satisfied
with the progress he was making; although "Just" Smith would have to
speed up considerable on the morrow if he wished to be anywhere near
the head of the procession when the race neared its close. Hugh,
somehow, fixed the fact of his comrade's presence on his mind. He
even mentally figured just how long it was likely to take the other
to reach the spot where he himself had left the road; for, perhaps,
that circumstance might loom up large in his calculations.

Then he arrived at the brink of what seemed to be a precipice.