“Did you see them after that?” inquired Hiram eagerly.
“I did. Next thing I knew, the horse and wagon cut across back this way. They struck the road here, and went south, the same direction they had come from.”
“Did you notice the men on the seat of the wagon?”
“They weren’t near enough for that, and I’m sort of poor sighted as I get older,” was the reply.
Hiram thanked the man, and hurried back to Bruce.
“I hope you have found out something,” said the latter anxiously.
“Not much that is any good, I fear,” replied Hiram. “We’ll get back into the Scout. It’s just as I guessed it, Bruce. I am satisfied that a covered wagon with three men in it took Dave away and that they went south.”
The country lay under them like a map as they resumed the flight. Hiram followed the road as a guide. At the end of ten miles it ran into a junction of other diverging highways. So far they had not caught sight of any vehicle answering the description of the covered wagon.
They followed the main highway for some distance. Ahead they made out a large town. It was one of half a score dotting the landscape, and the location of large iron plants. As they neared it, and passed roads filled with all kinds of vehicles, and the great industrial beehive spread out for miles, Hiram gave up in despair.
“They’ve got a start of us, and have probably run to cover by this time,” he said. “Oh, Bruce! I don’t know what to do!”