"I'll draw them off, Matt," muttered Dashington, and sped into the wood.
There was no time for Matt to reply, for the crashing of brush proved that one or both of the men who had been in the car were close upon him.
Flinging himself to one side, Matt crouched on his knees behind a tree. Whistler and Bangs rushed into sight.
"Where'n thunder did that yell come from?" cried Whistler.
"Off to the left, there," answered Bangs, indicating the direction taken by Carl and Dick.
For an instant Matt's hopes went down, and he had a mental picture of Jurgens being rescued, and Carl and Dick having trouble with those long rifles.
Just at that moment, however, Dashington was heard from.
"This way, Whistler! Bangs! Quick! The diamonds! The diamonds!"
The voice was hoarse and a close imitation of Jurgens'. And then that mention of the diamonds was a masterstroke.
"Somebody's taking the diamonds!" yelped Whistler, bounding straight ahead.