“You were evidently right,” the professor reluctantly admitted, “the man is a traitor.”
“I hope we catch him,” cried Jo.
“Come on, now,” says Tom, starting up.
“Where are you going?” asked the professor.
“To help Jim. If you will stay with Juarez, Jo and I will follow up his trail,” responded Tom.
This seemed feasible and wise and aided by some instructions given by Juarez they were in a measure able to make good progress. They soon came upon a place where there were evidences of a struggle, and here they carefully searched about and called loudly, but got no response.
But one inference was possible, Jim had been overpowered by a superior force and made prisoner; so they reluctantly returned to the professor with this report.
“We can’t do anything more to-night,” determined the professor. “It is too late. If there are enemies about under cover of darkness they have every advantage. I think our best plan would be to go back to the Storm King and make our plans for to-morrow. With a night’s rest, Juarez will be in shape to help us, and we will have Berwick, too.”
“But they may kill Jim before morning,” objected Tom.
“I don’t think there is any danger of that,” replied the professor. “They would not have bothered to take him prisoner if any harm were intended. If we went on now, even if we knew what direction to take, we would only be working in the dark, literally and figuratively. We will have to reconnoitre a little first and plan accordingly.”