“Whew!” cried Joe. “This is getting serious!” Callie and Iola had clutched their throats and were staring wild-eyed at Chet. Frank, about to speak, happened to glance out the window toward the barn. For an instant he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. But no! They were not. A figure was sneaking from the barn and down the lane toward the highway.
“Fellows!” he cried suddenly. “Follow me!”
CHAPTER IV
Red Versus Yellow
BY THE time the Hardy boys and Chet had raced from the Mortons’ kitchen, the prowler was not in sight. Thinking he had run across one of the fields, the three pursuers scattered in various directions to search. Joe struck out straight ahead and pressed his ear to the ground to listen for receding footsteps. He could hear none. Presently the three boys met once more to discuss their failure to catch up to the man, and to question why he had been there.
“Do you think he was a thief?” Joe asked Chet. “What would he steal?”
“Search me,” the stout boy replied. “Let’s take a look.”
“I believe he was carrying something, but I couldn’t see what it was,” Frank revealed.
The barn door had not been closed yet for the night and the boys walked in. Chet turned on the lights and the searchers gazed around.
“Look!” Frank cried suddenly.