Leonard burst the door in with a single kick of his foot and stepped over the threshold. Then he started back in amazement and uttered a low cry.
“What’s the matter?” demanded Dick, approaching and peering over his shoulder.
“Matter!” repeated Leonard. “Matter enough! The girls are not here!”
CHAPTER XXI.—AN UNPLEASANT SITUATION.
Dick pushed by Leonard and entered the shanty. It was true. There was no sign of either Shirley or Mabel.
“What on earth can have happened to them?” asked Leonard anxiously.
“I haven’t the slightest idea,” returned Dick. “We’ll ask Jones.”
They stepped outside again.
Upon Leonard’s first cry of surprise, Jenkins and the two policemen had moved toward the house, and for the moment Jones had been left unguarded. The prisoner was not slow to take advantage of his opportunity and no sooner had his captors’ backs been turned than he took to his heels and soon disappeared in the darkness.
Consequently, when Leonard and Dick came from the shanty there was no Jones to be found.