"Fairly well--I used to come over here when I was a boy--to pick huckleberries. They are plentiful on the other side of the swamp."
"Then supposing you lead the way and we'll follow."
They were soon in the woods and saw a well-defined path running to the eastward. Beyond was Nixon's Swamp, and still further on another woods.
They were afraid they had lost track of the man they were after when they heard a crack ahead of them, followed by a short yell of alarm.
Merrick had stumbled over a fallen log and pitched headlong into some thorny bushes. It took him some time to extricate himself, and meanwhile the pursuers drew closer.
"I see him!" cried Tom. "He is turning to the right!"
"He is headed for the worst part of the swamp," was Mr. Laning's comment. "If he doesn't look out----"
A minute later a wild cry rang out from ahead. The cry was repeated twice, and then all became as silent as the grave.
"He must have gone down into the swamp," exclaimed Dick.
"Yes, and more than likely he is drowning to death," added John Laning.
CHAPTER XX
DICK AND DORA
The boys were almost afraid to penetrate further into the woods, for they found the ground growing wet and spongy under their feet. All halted and gathered around Mr. Laning.
"Do you think he has really been drowned?" asked Sam, with a slight shiver.
"It may be," was the farmer's reply. "I know of one man who was drowned here some years ago, and every year cattle are lost here. The bottom of the swamp is very sticky, and once a person gets in he sinks down and under."
"What shall we do?" questioned Tom.
"We can go ahead, but we want to be mighty careful. Don't take a step until you are sure of your footing. If you find yourself sinking, grab hold of some tree or bush."
Mr. Laning led the way and the boys followed, until they had covered a distance of fifty or sixty feet. Here the ground was so soft they had to leap from one tree root or clump of bushes to another. As they moved forward they listened intently for some further sound from Merrick, but none came.
"Hullo, what's this?" cried Dick, presently, and moved to one side, close to a pool of dark and treacherous-looking water. "A man's hat!"
He picked it up and turned it over. On the inside were the initials, S.
A. M.
"It must be Merrick's," he went on. "Can he have gone down here?"
The others came at his call and all looked at the hat, which had been lying in the mud at the side of the pool. Then a match was struck, and all gazed around and into the pool while this faint illumination lasted.
No other trace of the missing man was to be seen.
"Merrick, where are you?" called out Dick. "If you need help, say so, and we'll try to get you out."
"Do you think he'd answer that call?" asked Fred.
"I think he'd rather go to prison than die in this swamp," was the reply.
The students and Mr. Laning moved cautiously around the edge of the swamp for half an hour and then returned to the roadway. To mark the spot where the hat had been found Dick hung the head covering on a tree limb.
"We can come back in the daylight and make another search," said he.
"And we can notify the authorities, too."
When they got back to the Stanhope cottage they found the others anxiously awaiting their return.
"Did you catch him?"
"Did he hurt you?"
"No, we didn't catch him, and nobody is hurt," answered Mr. Laning. "We lost him in the swamp, and there is no telling where he is now."
"I want to get hold of him for two reasons--that is, if he is alive,"
said Dick. "I want to get back those bonds and I want to know what brought him to this cottage."
"Maybe he came here to rob the Stanhopes," whispered Tom. "But I shouldn't tell them, for it will frighten them too much."
"No, don't say a word, Tom. If you do, Mrs. Stanhope will be just as nervous as she ever was."
"I and my family are going to stay here to-night," announced Mr. Laning; "so we can go on a hunt for that man first thing in the morning."
"And I'll drive over, if Captain Putnam will let me," answered Dick.
The appearance of Merrick had put a damper on the breaking up of the party, and the Rovers were rather silent as they went back to the school. It was too late to speak to Captain Putnam that night, but Dick was up early and saw the master of the Hall before breakfast.
"I trust you had a good time last night," said Captain Putnam, smiling.
"We did have, sir," said Dick. "But our party broke up in a way we didn't anticipate," and then he told of what had occurred.
The captain had heard of the missing traction company bonds, and he readily allowed Dick to go back to the cottage, using a horse and buggy for that purpose. Sam and Tom wanted to go, too, but to this Captain Putnam demurred.
"I think one is enough, especially as Mr. Laning is there, too," he said.
With a good horse and a light buggy, it did not take long for the eldest Rover boy to reach the Stanhope cottage. The family had just had breakfast and were surprised to see him so early.
"Didn't you have anything to eat?" questioned Dora. "If you didn't, come right in, and I'll make you an omelet and some coffee."
"No, thank you, Dora," he whispered. "I'll have to wait for that until we're keeping house together. Then----"
"Oh, Dick!" she cried and blushed like a rose.
"I had breakfast while driving over,--an orange and some sandwiches,"
went on the youth. "Mrs. Green got them ready for me. Is there anything new?"