Out of the shadow ahead emerged something only vaguely outlined in the dark. Whether wild animal or human being it would be hard to say there in the darkness. Indeed, the slight sound caused by its progress close to the road had more to do with warning Dick and his friends than anything their eyes saw at first. "Come on!" whispered Dick, heading suddenly for the road. In a jiffy Tom and Greg were also in hot pursuit, though young Prescott managed to keep somewhat in the lead. But the object of their pursuit took alarm, too, and gaining the road, flew like the wind. "Hold on there, you!" challenged Dick. "We want a little conversation with you at once." At that vocal warning the fugitive put on an even better burst of speed. "It must be a man!" exclaimed Dick. "He evidently understood me." "No use for you to try to get away!" shouted Reade. "We intend to get you if we have to chase you all the way to the seaboard." That was enough to make the fugitive veer suddenly and dart in under the trees. Tom vented an exclamation of disappointment, for he knew the chances were easy for escape in the deep shadows of the forest. At that instant Dick raised his right hand. In it he held a small stone that he had picked up at the first instant of discovering the presence of the stranger. Now Dick threw the stone, with the best judgment that he could command in the darkness. Ahead there went up a cry, as though of pain. Then all three pursuers distinctly heard an angry voice say! "Hang him! He hit me in the heel!" If there were any reply to this from a confederate of the injured fugitive neither Dick nor his chums heard it. After a minute all three stopped at a low uttered order from young Prescott. "Hush!" whispered Dick. "Sh!" confirmed Tom Reade. As they stood there in the forest not a sound of another human being was audible. For some five minutes the trio of high school boys stood without stirring from their tracks. "We've lost the trail," whispered Dick at last. "We could remain here, of course, waiting for more things to happen, but my belief is that daylight would find us still standing here, like so many foiled dummies. We might as well return to camp. What do you think?" "Yes; we'd better go back to camp," assented Tom. "I'm agreeable," murmured Greg So back to camp they went, going by the open road as much of the way as served their purpose. "There's the camp," muttered Tom, as they caught sight of a light between the trees. "Why the fellows have started a campfire." "What do you say if we slip up on them and give them something to jump about?" laughed Greg. "That might work with some people," negatived Dick, "but Darry is there, and he's impulsive. He might half kill us before he discovered his mistake. O-o-o-h, Dave!" "Hello!" answered Darrin, coming away from the campfire. Then he waited until the trio were close at hand before he went on: "I judge you didn't have any luck."