, nothing else would satisfy
the dog and at length, curious to see what caused the creature's
excitement, he slipped the lock and stepped outside on to the turf.
Instantly an exultant bark came from Achilles and he dashed away, only
to return and take the lead through the woods, his nose to the ground
and his ears erect. The boy followed. It was a race to keep up with
the rapidly running vanguard. Now the chase skirted the lawn, now
dipped into the pine woods. On and on went the dog, and in pursuit of
him on and on went Walter.

They floundered along the slippery matting of copper, stumbling this
way and that, and presently emerged where the land dropped down to the
shore. The lad paused. He had no mind to scramble through the tall
salt grass or sink ankle deep in the stretch of sand that adjoined it.
But Achilles compelled. It was now no longer a matter of choice. The
beast approached and catching the corner of the lad's sweater in his
mouth tugged at it resolutely, even angrily.

Walter dared not resist. He let himself down over the edge of the bank
into the sharp-edged grass, and wading through it reached the sand.
Here Achilles halted. The end of their pilgrimage had, then, been
reached. What was it all about? For a moment dog and man faced one
another. Then, glancing about, His Highness gave a little cry. There
were footprints in the sand,--deep footprints that the moisture had
kept indelible. A train of them came and went toward a ribbon of
automobile tracks that narrowed away up the beach and were finally
lost in the confusion of a much traveled wood road.

Walter's heart leaped within him as the significance of the discovery
rose before his imagination. This was the way Lola had gone.

A thief, familiar with the country and knowing the isolation of this
sequestered cove, had driven through the wood road, left the car
behind the dunes, and skulking through the woods, had successfully
carried out a daring robbery. Perhaps he had been lingering concealed
about the gardens all day or even many days. Who could tell? At any
rate, he had chosen a propitious moment, provided himself with a
skeleton key, and carried Lola away in the waiting motor car. Where
they were now, who could tell? A car travels fast and a long distance
could be covered in the two hours that had elapsed. Certainly no more
time must be wasted.

With Achilles leaping before him Walter raced back to Surfside. Mr.
Crowninshield, irritable and exc