“We came out to look for Lieutenant Porter,” answered Roger.
“I’m looking for him myself,” said the captain in some surprise.
He was after the notebook which our hero had promised to get for him. This notebook contained several plans and specifications which were of importance. The captain had left the notebook at headquarters, and knowing that Dave had gone there to make a report, had requested him to get it.
“He came out for a walk, leaving us to write some letters,” remarked Phil. “But he ought to be back by this time, unless he went a long distance, and I shouldn’t think he would do that after such a day’s work.”
“Have you any idea which way he took?”
“He didn’t say anything about it, but I rather imagine he walked up through the woods to that spring we located there,” answered Roger. “If you don’t mind, Captain, we’ll go up there and take a look around.”
“I’ll go with you,” answered the captain. And then he added suddenly: “I don’t know but what it might be well for you to take your guns along.”
“Do you think there are any Germans in this vicinity?”
“It’s possible. They may be sending out some night raiding parties, you know, through some openings of the mines.”
The two young engineers ran back to their quarters and soon returned armed. The captain carried his pistol; and thus the three walked through the woods until they reached the spring. Here they saw where some of the water had been splashed around on the otherwise dry rocks, showing that somebody had been there not so very long before.