“Where can we find Mr. Everett now?” Garry asked Aunt Abbie.
“Goodness only knows; he’s been everywhere, asking all his friends if they have seen the girl. Best thing to do would be to go back to the village and ask if he has been seen. You ought to find him real easy that way. There has been some talk of organizing a search party to go into the woods, but what would Ruth have wanted in the forest alone and at night?”
The boys could not answer this question, and were about to turn back to the village, when they saw Mr. Everett approaching the house. He shuffled along as though he were extremely weary. When he saw the boys, his tired face lighted up.
“I’m glad you are here, for maybe you can help me; no one else can around here. I suppose Aunt Abbie has told you what has happened?”
“Yes, sir, and we’re just on the point of starting out to see what we can do,” said Garry. “Have you any news at all?”
“Yes; I found a man that said he saw Ruth going up Clemson street about twenty minutes to eleven.”
“Where is Clemson street and where does it lead to?” asked Phil.
“Why, it’s on the other side of the village. You boys know where it is; it’s the one you took that night you went to Lafe Green’s farm; it leads right past there and along towards the border.”
Suddenly a staggering thought hit Garry. Clemson street leading to Lafe Green’s farm. The secret passage. Ruth’s desire to help the boys play detective. Her eagerness last night. The secret that she would not let the boys in on.
All these thoughts flashed through Garry’s mind in rapid succession.