“Briggs,” said Jones, “you go back and start the launch down the creek by itself. Then they won’t know where we are.”
Briggs hastened to obey, and a moment later the Sybil was moving out of sight around another bend.
“They won’t find us now,” said Jones.
Taking advantage of a moment when Jones was not looking, Mabel quietly hung her white handkerchief upon a bush. It was in plain view of the creek.
Shirley saw her friend’s action, but dared not show she had, by even the slightest change of expression.
CHAPTER XX.—APPARENT VICTORY.
Meanwhile, where was the second launch and crew? Even going at full speed, it was plainly evident to all on board that there was little prospect of overtaking the Sybil.
When the party had returned to the bank of the stream after an unsuccessful search of the little woods, it had not needed the wave of Shirley’s hand from the Sybil to tell them what had happened. It was Dick who spoke first.
“They have doubled back on their tracks and captured the girls and the launch,” he exclaimed when he noticed Shirley and Mabel were nowhere to be seen.
The others cried out in alarm. In the distance they could see the launch speeding down the stream. It was at that moment Shirley rose and waved to them. Leonard’s keen eyes caught the signal, and he cried out: