“Same here! But it’s mighty funny——”
“Huh! I call it exasperating.”
“We won’t fight over words. What I mean is, in a case like this, when two chaps whose hearing is all right, spread like the prongs of a sling-shot—well, it’s queer.”
“I get you. But there’s one explanation: we must be hunting two fellows instead of one. Each of us got after one, and as they scattered, we scattered, too.”
“But where are the two?”
“They’ve either slipped us or outrun us. Or one may have got away, and the other may be hiding within a dozen feet of us.”
“It’s not impossible,” Sam admitted. “But if we search——”
To the left—but not far—something stirred. Sam sprang in the direction of the sounds, which at once grew louder and unmistakable. The hunt was on again, and the quarry was fleeing with more thought of speed than of secrecy.
The Shark was hard on Sam’s heels. On they went, recklessly and almost blindly; for the chase led through dense growth and kept well away from the fire for a time. It bore toward the lake; turned back; sought the deeper woods. Once their course skirted the forefront of flames, and in the glare the boys had glimpses of the fugitive. Then it drove straight through thickets they might have thought impenetrable at any other time. The country grew more irregular in surface. Twice they skirted marshy spots among the hillocks. They climbed low ridges and dashed down into little valleys. In spite of their best efforts they could not be sure they were gaining. They might be running like hounds on a fresh scent, but the game was traveling like a frightened rabbit. Yet, though they might not draw up on the fugitive, they were so close to him that he no longer had a chance to drop unnoticed and let them overrun his hiding place.
For a second time they found themselves on the shore. Then the hare doubled, and led them in an irregular course toward the broken ground. And now the Shark was dropping behind, but Sam was beginning to gain. He could hear the heavy panting of the one who fled before him. Again he had glimpses of the scurrying figure. The light was increasing; for the fellow seemed to be heading straight for the fire. Sam spared breath for an astonished exclamation. He was nearing certainty that he recognized Jack Hagle!