"It took us a few minutes to recover our senses after the slide down the embankment, and by that time the truck was gone. Whether it went on toward Bayport, or turned around, we can't tell," added the other.
"It certainly didn't pass in the other direction," said Chet.
But Frank was dubious.
"We were down in the woods quite a while, remember," he pointed out. "It might have gone by during that time."
They regained the road.
"Perhaps we can find the marks of the tires," suggested Joe.
Assisted by the two men, the lads searched about in the dust of the roadway, but so many cars had passed in the intervening time that all trace of the truck had been obliterated.
"No use searching now," said the driver. "If you lads will get us into Bayport we'll report the case to the police."
They abandoned the quest and in a short time the party had arrived in the city, Frank and Joe taking the two men as passengers on their motorcycles. At the police station, the hold-up was duly reported and immediately word was flashed to the police in other cities and to officers out in the country.
But to no avail.