The men hastily crossed the road in the moonlight. They were only a few yards away from the boys but, fortunately, did not see them. In the dim light, the watchers could not distinguish the features of the pair.
"There's a path here somewhere, isn't there?" asked one.
"Don't you remember it? If it hadn't been for that path the other night we'd have been nabbed."
"That's right. You know this country pretty well."
"I should. I've lived around here long enough."
About fifty yards away, the men turned down toward the woods and vanished in the darkness of the trees. Their voices receded. Frank and Joe scrambled to their feet.
"Come on," said Frank, in excitement. "We'll follow them."
"Do you think they're the thieves?"
"I'm sure of it. They're up to some kind of monkey-business, anyway. We'll find out where they're going."
In the soft grass the boys made not a sound as they sped along in the shade of the trees toward the path the two men had taken. They found it without difficulty, a fairly well defined trail that was quite visible in the moonlight. The lads plunged into the depths of the woods and there the moonlight did not penetrate. They had to feel their way forward, moving slowly in order to keep their progress silent.