"I think we are simply wasting time here," said Tom, presently. "The best we can do is to follow up those footprints outside and see where they lead to."
"Dot's so," said Hans. "Dis muss is so bad like it vill pe Lund vill get no petter py looking at him, ain't dot so?"
"All right, come on," said Sam, and led the way off the houseboat. "I don't believe those chaps intend to come back. They took all they wanted."
To follow the footprints was no easy task, and before long, they found themselves going through a swamp where the walking was extremely treacherous.
"I don't like this," said Sam. "They may have known the way, but we don't; and if we don't look out we'll get in so deep we'll be helpless."
"Yah, let us go back," said Hans, who had not forgotten his experience in the bog hole. "A feller can't schwim in vater mit mud up to his neck alretty!"
Again they had to turn back. As they did this Dick fancied he heard a faraway cry for help.
"Did you hear that?" he asked of Tom. "What?"
"I heard somebody call, I think."
"So did I," put in Harold Bird. "Listen!"