The two scouts stood appalled, speechless. Blythe's old shabby coat which he always folded and used as a pillow was there with the depression made by his head still in it. But Blythe had gone away.... [Footnote 2: Edition of 1910, containing much interesting and important matter omitted from subsequent editions.] CHAPTER XXI THE DIAGONAL MARK Warde had always his wits with him. "_Shh_, don't wake up the troop," he whispered. "Come outside." "We'll need them all--alarm--" Roy whispered excitedly. "Shut up and come outside," Warde whispered emphatically. He picked up Blythe's coat and, tiptoeing, led the way out into the night. "He hasn't gone away," he said more freely. "Don't you see this coat? Do you think he'd go away without his coat? Stick your flashlight here, _quick_; here's our chance." Warde held the collar of the poor threadbare coat close to Roy's light. There, on the inside was sewn a little cloth square on which was printed: DOMINION CLOTHING CO. QUEBEC, CANADA. "I see," Roy whispered, not knowing what he said. "Give me the light and wait a second--shh," said Warde. Before Roy knew it Warde had re-entered the shack and was folding and replacing the coat where he had found it. In a kind of daze Roy saw the bright spot near the empty balsam couch, saw his companion's quick, silent movements, saw the scouts lying asleep in the dim light. Then all was darkness within and he saw no more. "Did you feel in the pockets?" Roy asked as they betook themselves through the darkness to a safe distance. He still whispered, though there was no need of it now. He was nervous, agitated. "No, I'm not in that line of business," said Warde. "I guess he's Claude Darrell all right," said Roy. "What shall we do? Try to find him? There's that voice again. Do you hear it? It's over there--west." "Not find him but _follow_ him," said Warde. "If we can." "You stay here," said Roy; "give me the light, I'll track him." Roy was master here and Warde could only accede. "What are we going to do when we find him?" Roy asked. "We're going to find out what _he's_ doing," Warde said. Nimbly, as silently as a panther, Roy retraced his steps to the shack. For a few minutes Warde stood alone, waiting, conscious of Roy's experience and superiority in those more active arts of the scout. He had not the slightest knowledge in which direction Blythe had gone and his patrol leader was going to wrench this knowledge from the darkness. Off in the distance the unearthly voice crooning and whining in the night. The very air seemed charged with something impending. Presently Warde saw two quick flashes of the light, then two more. He was glad that he knew the Silver Fox patrol signs well enough to know the meaning of that one. It signified "_Come._" "He went in his bare feet," said Roy; "look there. See?" [Illustration: SUDDENLY OUT OF THE DARKNESS SPED A FORM.]