ner,
and no one could judge that it had been opened.

"All is safe," said Bob Stubbs.

"Of course it is! Why shouldn't it be?"

"No reason; but some of his friends might have found him."

"All his friends are at Groveton. Then they had no idea what we did with
him."

"They must have found out that he was gone."

"They couldn't find him, so that would do him no good."

Stubbs was about to draw the bolt, but Hayden stayed his hand.

"Wait a minute, Bob," he said; "I'll look in at the window, and see what
he is doing."

Dick Hayden went around to the rear of the building, and flattened his
face against the pane in the effort to see the corner where the captive
had been tied. He could not see very distinctly, but what he did see
startled him.

He could perceive no one.

"Could the boy have loosened the rope?" he asked himself hurriedly.

Even in that case, as the window was nailed so that it could not be
opened, and the door was bolted, there seemed no way of escape. His eyes
eagerly explored other portions of the cabin, but he could not catch a
glimpse of Kit.

He rushed round to the front, and in an excitement which Stubbs could
not understand, pulled the bolt back with a jerk.

"What's the matter, Dick?" asked Stubbs, staring.

Dick Hayden did not answer, but threw open the door.

He strode in, and peeped here and there.

"The boy's gone!" he said hoarsely, to Stubbs, who followed close
behind.

"Gone!" echoed Stubbs, in blank amazement. "How did he get away?"

"That's the question," responded Dick, growling.

"Well, I'm--flabbergasted! There's witchery here!"

Dick Hayden bent over and picked up the pieces of rope which lay in the
corner where the prisoner had been placed. He examined the ends, and
said briefly, turning to Stubbs: "They've been cut!"

"So they have, Dick. Who in natur' could have done it? Perhaps the kid
did it himself. Might have had a knife in his pocket."

"Don't be a fool, Stubbs! Supposin' he'd done it, how was he goin' to
get out?"

"That's what beats me!"

"Somebody must have let him out."

"Do you think it's his circus friends?"

"No; they're all in Groveton. Somebody must have been passin' and heard
the boy holler, and let him out."

"What are you goin' to do about it, Dick?"

"Goin' to sit down and take a smoke. It may give me an idea."

It will be noticed that of these two, Dick Hayden, as the bolder and
stronger spirit, was the leader, and Bob Stubbs t