“That’s different, of course. I don’t see any directions on this plan for digging in the grounds about the mill. It may be that there is another paper--a sort of map--that the hermit has, and if he doesn’t find the fortune in the mill he’ll have a try in the grounds--the same as others have had. But as all we have is this plan, we’ll work on that.” Once more they fell to studying the paper, but they could not seem to get anywhere. The plan gave them no more clew than any blueprint of a modern building would have done. The walls were shown, the partitions, the location of the doors, windows, and various pieces of mechanism, but that was all. “Maybe those words and figures, that seem to refer to the building, are a sort of cypher,” suggested Bert. “Maybe,” admitted Tom. “I didn’t think of that. How do you work out one of these cyphers, anyhow?” “I know a couple of ways,” said Jack, and they tried his method, but they only got a lot of meaningless words and figures, though they sat up until nearly midnight. “It’s no good!” exclaimed Tom regretfully. “Let’s go to bed, and have another try to-morrow. I’m dead tired.” They all were. So they turned in, after making a campfire blaze that they hoped would at least glow until dawn. Nothing disturbed their slumbers, and in the morning, after breakfast, they again began studying the map. They were forced to give it up, however, and Tom in desperation exclaimed: “We’ll just put this away for a few days, until we get another chance to visit the mill. Then we’ll take it with us, and when we’re right on the spot some idea may come to us that will put us on the right track.” The others agreed that this was a good plan, and as a sort of recreation they went for a ride in the motorboat. They fished, having fair luck, and, having reached a large cove, not before visited, they went ashore and cooked the dinner they had brought with them, broiling their fish over the live coals of a campfire. “Say, this is something like living!” exclaimed Bert, as he stretched out on some moss, and picked his teeth. “I should say so,” agreed Dick. “I’m glad you fellows let me come along.” “We’re glad to have you,” declared Tom. “Supposing we take our guns and go off in the woods? Maybe we can have a shot at the critter who took our bacon.” “Sure! Come on!” exclaimed Bert. “I’m afraid I’m not up to it,” said Jack. “My leg is just beginning to get better, and I don’t want to strain it with walking through the woods. I might stumble.” “That’s so,” agreed Tom. “We’ll stay here then.” “No, go on!” urged the injured lad. “Don’t let me hold you back. I’ll be all right until you return.” “I’ll stay with you,” volunteered Dick. “No, you go along!” insisted Jack. “I’ll be all right alone. Besides, I didn’t bring my gun, and I wouldn’t go if I didn’t have a game leg. Go ahead.” Thus urged, Tom and his two chums set off in the dense woods, taking their route by a compass, so that they could more easily find their way back.