e trees onto what was evidently a road used for
hauling out timber. Following this for about a quarter of a mile, the
youths discovered a dark object, resting near what looked to be the end
of the road.

"It's the auto!" whispered Dick.

"Anybody around?" questioned Tom, in an equally low voice.

"I don't know. Be careful and we'll see."

With extreme caution the boys walked closer to the touring car and then
all around it. Nobody was at hand, and not a sound broke the silence of
the night.

"Deserted!" whispered Sam. "Where did they go to, I wonder?"

"Hush!" returned Dick. "They may be close enough to hear you."

With strained ears, the Rover boys listened for some sound that might
indicate the presence in that vicinity of those they were after. But
they heard nothing but the call of a night bird and the far-off hoot of
an owl.

"They have gone on," said Dick, at last. "We'll have to find the trail
and follow. Maybe I'll have to light the lantern."

"Say, let us fix the auto first--so they can't use it, if they come
back!" exclaimed Tom.

"A good idea, Tom," answered his big brother. And, as soon as Dick had
lighted the lantern, Tom and Sam set to work to render the touring car
unusable for the time being by turning off the flow of gasoline from the
tank and disconnecting the spark plugs.

"That will keep 'em guessing for a while, if they try to run it," was
Sam's comment.

In the meantime Dick was examining the ground, and soon he found the
mark of many footprints in the moss and leaves. They led along a
well-defined footpath running through the woods and up something of a
hill.

"They went this way," he said. "The fact is, I don't see how they could
go any other,--the brushwood is so thick."

"Maybe there's a house back there," suggested Tom.

"I shouldn't be surprised. That path must lead to somewhere."

The boys had just started to move along the footpath when from out of
the darkness came an unexpected hail:

"Hello, there! Who are you?"

The call came from ahead, and at a turn of the trail the lads saw, by
the dim rays of the lantern, the form of a man, wearing a fur coat and
an automobile cap.

"The driver of the car!" burst out Dick.

"I say, who are you?" called the man, coming to a halt. Evidently he was
coming back to take care of the automobile, or run it away.

"Hello, yourself!" answered Dick, boldly. "What are you doing here this
time of night?"

"Humph! Is that any of your