“They couldn’t come down safely between those trees and on those rocks,” cried Andy. “They’d break their necks!”
“Well, I certainly heard something, and I saw two men.”
“Say, did those two fellows look anything like the two Germans Jed Kessler spoke about?” queried Randy’s twin quickly.
“I don’t know about that. I only got a glance at ’em, and they were a long way off. All I know is that they were dressed in very dark clothing and wore dark slouch hats.”
“I think it might be a good thing to mention this to Captain Dale,” said Jack thoughtfully. “The authorities are very anxious to get on the track of those two men who were seen around the ammunition plant. It won’t do any harm to have this matter investigated.” And then he and his cousin sought out the old West Pointer for that purpose.
Captain Dale listened attentively, and nodded his head several times while Randy was speaking.
“You are right, Captain Rover,” he said to Jack. “And I’m glad that you brought your cousin here to tell me this. I’ll go over to town this morning and report to the authorities. Of course there may be nothing in it, but as you remarked, it is a clue that should not be overlooked. Those two men with the wagon load of stuff certainly disappeared somewhere in this vicinity, and I know the forest is supposed to be a part of the government reservation, and no strangers would be permitted to go into it and cut down any trees. More than that, the strange sounds heard by your cousin Randy make it look as if something unusual was being done there.”
“Would there be any objection to our going into the woods and taking a look around?” questioned Randy.
“Not the least, Rover. But I think you had better go slow, because if those men we are looking for are really there, and they know the authorities are after them—well, that may make them very desperate, and you may get into serious trouble.”
“Oh, I guess we could take care of ourselves,” answered Randy quickly. “Of course, Jack and I wouldn’t go alone. We would take quite a bunch with us. There is generally safety in numbers, you know,” and he grinned.