“No, but he—he scared us so!”
“Let us go after him!” put in Phil, quickly. He had taken Mary Feversham out a number of 84 times and the two were well acquainted. “Come on!” and he started around the house.
All of the others were not slow to follow. Behind the building they came upon a mass of weeds and bushes and in their midst the remains of an old well, long since caved in. What had once been a path led to the side road before mentioned.
“That’s the way he must have gone—down the side road!” cried the shipowner’s son.
“Supposing we see if we can catch him?” suggested Dave. “But somebody ought to go back, and stay with the girls,” he added thoughtfully.
“I’ll go back,” answered Phil. He was only too glad of a chance to talk to Mary, not having seen her for a long time.
“If that fellow comes back, whistle for us,” advised Roger.
Dave was already on the side road with Buster and Gus beside him, and the senator’s son quickly followed.
“Don’t go too fast or I—I can’t ke—keep up with you!” panted Buster.
“Do you see anything of him, Dave?” queried Roger.