"There is something of a path," said Fred, pointing to one side. "It seems to follow the creek, too. It cuts off this elbow."
They turned into the path, and this brought them back to the creek at another point. Hardly had they come in sight of the water again than Joe set up a ringing shout:
"There she is! What did I tell you!"
"The Sprite, as sure as guns!" came from Bart.
"Won't Paul and his uncle be glad to learn of this," added Fred.
A glance sufficed to show them that the craft was deserted. She had been run up into the creek as far as possible, and the trees and bushes all but hid her from view. Her sides were in two colors—the old on one and the new on the other. The new paint was not yet dry.
"Is anybody around?" asked Bart, in a whisper.
"I don't see anybody," answered Joe. "Wait till we investigate."
They approached the sloop with caution, but soon ascertained that nobody was aboard the craft. Then they mounted to the deck, Bart getting some of the new paint on his hands as he did so.
"I believe this was painted this morning," said he, as he was cleaning his hands. "We got here just in time. If the sloop was painted and had a new name how could one tell her?"