“Hello! what’s this?” he asked himself, coming up beside the flat rocks. “I’m sure we left them here.” But neither the knapsacks with food nor the wraps were anywhere in sight. Fred scratched his head, wondering if he were dreaming.
“Hi, fellows!” he called out. “Something wrong here!”
“What’s the matter?” yelled Gif, who was the nearest of the others.
“The knapsacks and wraps! They are gone!”
“Gone! Do you mean somebody has taken them?” exclaimed Gif.
“Yes, I do! Call the others, quick.”
As Fred uttered the last words he darted away from the flat rocks. He had seen a movement behind some trees and bushes not a great distance away. As he drew closer to the spot he heard Codfish give a cry of alarm.
“We’re discovered! Fred Rover is coming!”
“Hi, Codfish! what are you doing here?” demanded Fred. But instead of answering, the sneak of the school set off on a run through the woods as fast as his legs could carry him.
By this time Gif was coming up, followed by Andy and Randy, while Jack and several others of the party were trying to get down from the rocks at the front of the cliff.