“There is nothing like trying,” said Dick briefly. “Come on.”
He led the way and the others followed.
Dick’s solution of the disappearance had been correct. Left alone in the little shanty early in the evening, the two girls had succeeded in forcing the door. Peering out and seeing Jones and Briggs fast asleep, they had decided to make a break for liberty.
Accordingly they slipped quietly from their prison and were soon lost in the darkness. They made their way to the bank of the creek with little difficulty, and there came upon the Sybil, tied up to a tree.
“We are in luck,” said Mabel. “But how does it come that the launch is here. This looks like the place we landed, and I saw Briggs start the boat down stream.”
“Then it can’t be the place we landed,” returned Shirley. “We must be further down stream than we thought.”
“But some one has tied the boat up,” protested Shirley. “Who do you suppose it was?”
“I haven’t any idea; and I don’t see that it makes any difference. We’ll get aboard and start upstream immediately. Our absence is likely to be discovered, and unless we hurry, we may be recaptured.”
“Let’s hurry then,” said Mabel.
She untied the launch while Shirley stepped aboard and started the engine. Then giving the boat a shove, Mabel leaped aboard.