aptain
Hall, as they started, "we shall do well to spread out. We can cover a
wide range of ground, and yet keep within hearing of each other, so that
we can signal."

The first part of the road was covered rapidly. Out in the rural part
Captain Hall halted his searching party and disposed of the men and boys
under his command.

The line, when it moved forward again, extended into the fields for a
considerable distance on each side of the road. Everyone had a complete
description of Greg's clothing and hat when he had last left home. All
were instructed, also, to look for a gunny sack, or any fragments
thereof, for Greg had carried such a sack with him on his expedition up
the river, and this sack had not yet been found.

"Even a shred of that sack, if found, may form a most important clue,"
added Captain Hall impressively. "I'll keep to the road. If a searcher
finds anything that he regards as a clue, let him pass the word along to
me as rapidly as possible. Then we'll halt the whole line, on each side,
until that clue has been investigated. Don't any of you boys--or men,
either, for that matter--get any idea that he's just tramping for
pleasure. There is no telling who may have the luck to find a clue that
will soon lead to the end of the search. Now, forward!"

It was with a sincere good will and much straining of eyes that the hunt
started. It proved to be slow work. Every now and then some seeker came
across what he thought might prove a clue, and then the line halted.

Many times footprints were the cause of halting the line. One set of
footprints that a man found, and on which he passed the signal, proved,
when measured by Captain Hall's tape measure, to be the prints of a pair
of number-ten boots.

"Greg Holmes, a thirteen-year-old boy, hadn't feet of that size,"
remarked the militia officer almost sharply. "We know that young Holmes
wears a number four boot."

Still the line dragged on. Noon came, finding the searching party about
a mile above Payson's and in wilder country. Some of the men were
decidedly hungry, as were also all of the boys.

Captain Hall's whistle blew sharply, bringing in his forces.

"We never thought, of course, of provisioning this expedition," said the
officer, with a smile. "Do you see that farmhouse ahead? Spread out your
line again, and look for me to signal when we come up with that
farmhouse. If the folks living there have any food that they will sell,
I'll pay for it, an