“That was their intention,” I answered.

“Most likely. It is rarely that criminals keep together after having committed a crime,” put in Captain Harley. “To hunt them down, we, too, will have to divide into three parties.”

“Suppose I go to Hammer’s Point?” said the constable.

“All right,” replied the captain. “I will go to Loadhead, while you, Stone and Ford, can keep a watch along the roads just beyond these woods.”

“I am willing,” I said.

“And so am I,” put in Ford.

“If either of you discover anything, report it to Pointer or me at once.”

This we agreed to; and a moment later Ford and I picked our way through the rank undergrowth to the main road some two or three hundred feet beyond.

“I’ll bet a new hat that one of the chaps came this way,” said my helper to me when we were some distance on our way.

“What makes you think so?”