But the man himself was not to be found. The method of his exit, however, Nick discovered.
A window in the end of the house, farthest from the street, was wide open, and beneath it, with the aid of his lantern, Nick found the foot-prints of a man who had leaped from the window.
Unquestionably that man was Patrick Deever.
The footprints could be traced a little way. They led toward a hedge which separated the property from a large, vacant tract south of it.
Nick could see where some person had recently broken through this hedge. And here he made a more important discovery, which gladdened his eyes.
Beside the hedge were Deever's foot-prints, and another's. The second must be Patsy's.
Passing through, Nick saw a wide field with a grove at its end. The foot-prints were very faint, but it seemed that Deever had started in the direction of that grove.
Nick hurried thither. He searched through the little clump of trees with the utmost minuteness, till at last, on the farther side, in a bit of soft ground, he found the foot-prints.
They still led in the direction of the river. Following such faint clews as he could find, Nick continued the search till dawn broke.