“Where did they go?” cried someone who stood close to the watercourse.
“I don’t know. But they must be somewhere in this vicinity,” answered the voice of Nick Jasniff.
Hardly daring to breathe, the four in the tree listened to what was taking place below. They heard Nick Jasniff and several of the gypsies tramping around, first in one direction and then in another.
“Are you sure they all got away?” questioned one of the gypsies, of another who had just arrived.
“Yes. The room was empty and we have searched the house thoroughly.”
“Then I guess the game is up,” growled a third.
“What’s the use of giving up so soon?” grumbled Nick Jasniff. “I believe they are hiding around here somewhere, and I don’t believe there is anybody else near. I think the best thing you can do, Bopeppo, is to call in all those other fellows and begin a search for them. Eight of us ought to be able to handle two fellows and two girls without much trouble.”
After that Jasniff and Bopeppo moved around again through the woods in the immediate vicinity of the bungalow. One of them had discovered where the party of four had jumped into the gully leading to the watercourse, and now he set up a sudden shout:
“They came this way! Here are their footprints!”
“Where do they lead to, Vazala?” questioned Nick Jasniff eagerly.