At the Island
In the meantime, what of Chet Morton and Biff Hooper?
When they took the wrong turn in the trail it was some time before they realized that the Hardy boys were not running along before them. They were blundering along through the undergrowth, in complete darkness, trusting to their chums to guide them through, when finally Chet stopped, panting.
"Frank and Joe must be running like deer," he muttered. "I can't hear them at all."
"We were all mighty close together a little while ago," returned Biff.
"I know. And they seem to have disappeared all of a sudden." The thought struck Chet that they might be on the wrong trail. "Do you think we could have taken a wrong turn?"
Biff listened. "There's no one ahead of us, that's sure," he said at last. "We must have got separated."
As this conviction forced itself upon them, the two lads were overwhelmed with disappointment. They knew that the Hardy boys would have little enough time to gain the boat and escape without waiting for them, and at the thought that they might be again left on the island at the mercy of their captors they were profoundly discouraged.
"We're up against it again, I guess," declared Chet. "Well, I think we'd better follow this trail anyway, wherever it leads to. Remember what Frank said—that if even one of us reached the boat safely he could get to the mainland and bring back help for the rest."
"Yes, that's right. It isn't as bad as it might be."