Drummer joined Buck and they came to the bottom of the rise, pushing their way up it with their lights turned on. They could hear the sound of the running man in front of them, and it was evident that he had thrown all caution to the wind in an endeavor to get away from them. On flat ground Drummer would not have been able to keep up with his chief, but his sturdy legs were good for climbing and he was able to remain pretty close to Buck’s side. Back of them the other boys ran along, forgetting nervousness in the excitement of the chase.
The camp lay far behind them now and they noted that the man was taking a course off in the direction which Farmer Crane had told them was the way to Hogs’ Hollow. If this was the man from that region he would speedily lose them, for it was evident that he knew the country and at the first opportunity he would conceal himself and let them hunt for him at will. But just now he seemed to be putting all of his strength and skill into his running. He had no light and must have been very familiar with the surrounding country.
He was drawing ahead of them now and the noise of his running footsteps was growing dimmer. The country became wilder and rocks protruded jagged heads above the mountain soil. The woods had given way to open country thickly sprinkled with bushes and before they had run many yards further they came across a narrow road that was little more than a wagon track. Drummer and Buck were becoming winded and the other boys had dropped out of the swift running, though they were still advancing.
A stone wall, long and low, loomed up before them and beyond a set of stones which seemed more orderly than the ones they had encountered thus far in their run, attracted their attention. The flashlights revealed the fact that they were grave stones and they had arrived at a little country graveyard. They stopped to get breath.
“Ow, that was a tough run!” gasped Drummer, leaning on the wall.
“You bet it was!” agreed Buck, as two other boys came up. “I think he went across this graveyard.”
“I don’t hear him,” said Bob, listening intently.
All sounds of the pursued had ceased and the night was silent except for the murmur of the voices of the other boys, who now came up and joined them. Buck and Drummer had made enough noise in their running to serve as a permanent guide for the others.
“Maybe he ran right across it and is still going,” said Charlie, nodding toward the quiet graveyard.
“I don’t know, but I’m going in and see if he is hiding behind a stone,” announced Buck.