ranched off somewhere between here and that bridge the road
men are repairing."

"Why can't we search the road for tracks?" asked Sam.

"Just what I am going to do. We can go down every half mile or so and
look the ground over."

This was done three times, and twice they saw no tracks. Then they
located them once more, about half way between the bridge and
Plankville.

"Perhaps we had better follow them up on foot for awhile," suggested
Dick. "They aren't in the roadway half a mile from here."

"Well, there are no side roads nearby," returned Tom. "And no houses or
barns, either," he added, searching the moonlit landscape.

Lantern in hand, Dick led the way, the others following. Thus several
hundred feet were covered. Then all came to a halt and stared at each
other. The tracks of the touring car led from the roadway directly into
a big field, backed up by what looked to be a dense woods.

"We are getting closer!" cried Dick. "Now, to put the _Dartaway_ in a
safe place and then we'll follow them on foot!"

CHAPTER XXVII

THE CHAUFFEUR OF THE TOURING CAR

"Let us run the biplane down the road a way and then into another field
and down among the trees," suggested Tom. "No use of leaving it too near
here--some of that gang might come and ruin it."

Tom's advice was considered good, and once more the three Rover boys
hurried to the _Dartaway_. As there was still no wind, it was an easy
matter to roll the machine along on its wheels. They found a field where
the fence was down, and ran the biplane across this and in among some
trees and bushes.

"Are you going to take the lantern?" asked Sam. "It seems to me it won't
be wise to let them see us, at first."

"I'll take it along unlit," answered his big brother. "It may come in
handy later."

"Let us get some clubs," suggested Tom. "They may come in handier than
the pistols."

"Right you are!" cried Dick. "We don't want any shooting if it can be
avoided."

"Evidently you think they are close at hand," remarked Sam, while they
were cutting stout sticks from among the brushwood.

"They can't have gone so very far, in that dense woods," answered Tom.
"Why, the auto couldn't get through."

At last the boys were ready to continue the search, and stick and
lantern in hand, Dick led the way, with Tom and Sam close behind. They
had to bend close to the ground, to make sure that they were following
the tracks of the touring car.

The trail led among th