"

"Just now?" asked Dave, eagerly.

"Not more'n a quarter of an hour ago. That's why I stepped in here.
He's a dangerous man, Doctor Clay, and I think he ought to be rounded
up!" went on Henry Morrison, earnestly.

"You are right, he certainly ought to be put under restraint,"
answered the master of Oak Hall. "I will see to this at once. Will you
assist in the hunt, Mr. Morrison?"

"Of course--if I don't have to go alone. I don't think it is safe for
anybody to tackle him alone, he's that wild and dangerous."

"Can we take part in the search?" asked Phil, eagerly. "Oh, do let us
do it, Doctor Clay!" he pleaded.

"I suppose so, if you will promise to be careful. Mr. Morrison, can
you point out the exact spot where you saw the man?"

"Of course I can."

"Then we will at once make up a searching party."

Doctor Clay could act quickly when the occasion demanded, and inside
of ten minutes a searching party was made up, composed of Dave and his
chums, Mr. Dale, Horsehair, and several men who chanced to be working
around the grounds.

"Oh, I hope we catch him and are able to prove that he blew up the
hotel dining-room," said Phil to Dave.

"So do I, Phil."

Henry Morrison led the way, and it was not long before the spot was
gained where he had seen Wilbur Poole. From that point a path ran from
the river back into the woods.

"Maybe he took that path," suggested our hero, and several thought the
same.

"I think we had better scatter," suggested Mr. Dale, who had been
placed in charge by the doctor. "By doing that we can cover a wide
range of territory in a comparatively short space of time. And keep as
quiet as possible, for should he hear us he will most likely start and
run."

"If he didn't run when he saw Mr. Morrison," murmured Buster. "He may
be miles away already."

The crowd separated into pairs, Dave and Phil going together and Roger
going with Ben, and Buster with Horsehair. All had armed themselves
with sticks, and Mr. Dale carried a pair of handcuffs, and one of the
hired men had a rope.

Deeper and deeper into the woods went the party, spread out in a long
line. They had examined the river-front and felt fairly certain that
the wild man had not left by boat.

"Looks like a wild-goose chase," remarked Phil, with a sigh, after a
half an hour had passed.

"Oh, we don't want to give up yet," answered Dave. "Why, it isn't much
after ten o'clock. We can stay out till noon, at least."

"I'd st