“Any luck?” whispered Bill.
“No,” replied the Seminole gloomily. “We’ve had this hike for nothing. There’s nobody in the cabin.”
Chapter VII
BEYOND THE FALLS
“Well, that certainly is disappointing.” Mr. Davis wiped the perspiration from his brow. “I suppose you made absolutely sure?”
Osceola nodded. “A window was open in one of the bedrooms. I went in and went through all four rooms and the cellar. What’s more, when they left, they took their clothes and papers with them. Not a sign of either in the house. I don’t think they’ve been up here since early yesterday evening.”
Mr. Davis looked surprised. “How can you place the time?”
“In several ways. If they had taken a lot of stuff down the hill in daylight, the chances are that you or your sister would have seen them. We know that Kolinski and probably his man as well were in New Canaan at two this morning, and that is thirty-five miles from here. Though there’s plenty of dust in that house, I saw no particles of mud either on the mat inside the door or on the floors.”
“So we’re just about where we were before we started on this wildgoose chase,” proclaimed Bill wearily.
“Hardly that, Bill,” protested Davis. “We’ve got one more bet in this neck of the woods.”
“What?” Bill and Osceola stared at him. Mr. Davis got to his feet.