“But it seems to be no go, boys,” he said, at length.
“But what has become of him?” asked George with a look of worriment on his face.
“That’s what we can’t say except that he’s lost,” spoke Jack.
“Yes, but lost in this wilderness—in this storm,” added Bert. “It’s dangerous.”
“Yes, that’s what it is, provided he is still lost,” Sam said.
“Still lost! What do you mean?” asked Jack.
“I mean he may have gone so far that he found his way back to one of the camps.”
“Really?” hopefully cried Bert, who thought Sam might be saying that simply to cheer them up.
“Why, of course it’s possible,” the caretaker went on. “He may have gone on beyond the sound of your guns. And, unexpectedly, he may have hit the trail to one of the camps. For there are trails that lead through the woods. They’re not easy to find, or follow, but Tom might have had luck.”