“We never know,” murmured Thunderbolt.
“Confound it all—we will know!” shouted Tom. “Some kind of a crowd is following us.”
“Either cattle rustlers or smugglers,” declared Larry, positively. “You heard what Teddy Banes said about ’em.”
“But what object would they have in so rudely disturbing our slumber?” asked Dave, with a negative shake of his head.
“Just now we don’t know, and can’t know,” said Bob. “Let’s make another search.”
Fully an hour was spent before the boys were reluctantly obliged to confess their failure; and, more and more mystified, they finally reëntered Fool’s Castle.
“This ought to be a lesson to us, fellows,” announced Bob Somers. “We must never miss taking turns on guard.”
“It was my fault, Bob,” said Dave, magnanimously.
“And as a penalty I suppose you’ll take the first watch?” grinned Dick.
“A confession generally means a mitigation of sentence,” laughed Dave.