The chums stopped, as did Mr. Hardman. The sound of footsteps could be heard.
"Who is coming?" asked Mr. Hardman, and the boys thought he seemed alarmed.
"I don't know," Bart replied.
A moment later a figure appeared around a turn in the road.
"It's Frank!" exclaimed Ned.
"Who?" asked Mr. Hardman.
"Frank Roscoe; our chum," Bart said. "He has come to meet us."
"Frank Roscoe!" exclaimed Mr. Hardman, and the boys could see he was much excited.
"Frank Roscoe here! If I had known that!"
He turned suddenly and hurried past the boys, retracing his way along the corduroy road into the depths of the forest.