"Then, if we had at once set up a search for the assassin," Will went on, "we might have discovered him."
"Not in a thousand years, in this wild country!" exclaimed Tommy.
Will went to the door and looked out toward the east.
"It will be daylight directly," he said, "and then we will see what can be accomplished in the way of finding clues."
"Nix on the clue!" argued Tommy. "The gink who bumped our friend on the cupola came after the paper. He got the paper and ducked, and that's all there is to it! If there were any secret communications concerning our mission in the paper, the robber got them!"
"And where does that leave us?" asked Sandy.
"Up in the air!" grumbled Tommy.
"So far as I can see," Will stated, "you boys have the situation sized up correctly! The boy was sent here to convey certain information to me. He made his way to the cabin before being attacked. Then he was struck down and the important paper abstracted from the envelope."
"I've got an idea!" cried Tommy springing to his feet and walking up and down the cabin floor. "I've got a bully idea!"
"Pass it around," advised Sandy.