As the party progressed the way become more uncertain, and at last they reached the edge of a swamp, beyond which was some kind of a canebrake. They saw numerous footprints in the soft soil, and these led further still to the westward.
"Listen!" said Dick, presently, and held up his hand.
All did as requested and from a distance heard somebody calling to somebody else. Then came a reply in Sid Merrick's voice.
"Merrick is talking to Shelley," said Dick. "They have lost the right trail, too."
"Hang the luck!" they heard Shelley say.
"No path at all?"
"None," answered Sid Merrick.
"There is no path here either—it's a regular jungle," came from
Cuffer, who was not far off.
"I'm all stuck up with the thorns," put in Tad Sobber. "I think we were foolish to come to such a spot as this."
"You can go back if you want to," answered his uncle, who was evidently out of patience. "Nobody is keeping you."