"Gracious, I never thought of that, and we're a long way from home too," Bob sighed.
"And it would be worse than useless to try and find our way back tonight," Jack added.
"Then what can we do?" Sue asked.
"I think we'd better get a little farther away from here the first thing," Bob advised. "You see that fellow may miss you most any time and he'll raise the camp when he does."
He had hardly spoken when they heard a shout from the direction of the tent.
"The gal's gone," a man cried and a moment later there was a perfect bedlam of shouts as they evidently realized that someone must have helped her escape.
"Keep close together and make as little noise as possible," Bob ordered as he sprang to his feet.
He had little idea in which direction he ought to go, but his one thought was to avoid the trail and to put much distance between them and the camp as possible. The moon was still hidden, although the rain had held off, and they were obliged to go slowly to avoid running into the trees. From the sounds behind them they knew that the outlaws were already scattering to take up the search and Bob blamed himself that they had waited so long.
Fifteen minutes passed and they could hear men on both sides of them as they beat the woods and several times flashes of light told them that some, at least, of the outlaws had electric flashlights. It was only a question of time, Bob thought, when they would be caught and he shuddered to think what would become of them. But he did not lose heart, instead he urged the others to greater speed although he knew that they were going about as fast as was possible.
"Don't get separated whatever you do," he cautioned.