Frank's face looked, for an instant, as if he had received a blow.
"And I was counting on that beard," he said, "as a means of identification!"
"Keep the print safe," Ned advised. "It may be useful in that way yet."
"Well," Frank declared, "we've got to go away! We can take no chances on Jimmie being murdered. Isn't that your idea?"
"We certainly will take no such chances," Ned responded. "Up to this time we have been successful in getting out of trouble, though, and we may be able to rescue the boy without giving up the search for the abducted lad."
"Here's another question," Frank said, "was that note sent by the counterfeiters, or are the men interested in the abduction of the prince resorting to such tactics?"
"I have an idea that the abductors are the ones who are doing it,"
Ned answered.
"It may be moonshiners," suggested Frank.
"I don't think there are any illicit stills in this district," Ned replied.
"Well, we're up against a desperate gang now, anyway," Frank said, "and it looks as if they held the high cards! If we had only suspected what was going on in that passage, we might have rescued the boy before they got him away!