"Come on over to the north," suggested Joe. "I think there is another
trail in that direction."

"Yes, and I imagine the walking is better," put in Herb.

"Say, you don't want to go too far out of the way," came hastily from
Jimmy. "We've got to walk back remember."

"Forward it is!" cried Bob. "Come on, Jimmy, you've got to walk off that
big lunch you stowed away."

"Gee, if I walk too far I'll be hungry again before I get home," sighed
the stout youth.

"Wow! hear Jimmy complain," burst out Joe. "He hardly has one meal down
than he's thinking of another."

To find another trail was not as simple a matter as it had seemed, and
they must have traveled over two miles before Bob's keen eyes detected a
slight break in the dry underbrush that might denote a path such as they
sought. They found a dim trail leading in the general direction in which
they wished to go, and set out at a brisk pace, even Jimmy being willing
to hurry as visions of the loaded supper table floated before him.

Gradually the path widened out, as others ran into it, until it became a
fairly well-defined woods road. It was thickly strewn with last year's
soft and rotting leaves, and the boys made little sound in spite of the
rapidity of their pace. Bob and Joe and Herb were striding along in a
group, Jimmy having dropped behind while he fixed a refractory shoe
lace, when suddenly Bob halted abruptly and held up a warning hand. The
others, scenting something amiss, stopped likewise, looking inquiringly
at Bob.

Silently he pointed to a spot slightly ahead of them and several paces
off the road. Even as the others gazed wonderingly, Bob beckoned them to
follow and slipped silently into the brush that lined the road.

On the other side stood a big tree, its trunk and branches sharply
outlined against the clear sky. At the base of this tree, with his back
toward them, stood a man. Now, the surprising part of it all, and that
which had caused the boys to proceed so cautiously, was the fact that
the man wore headphones and was evidently receiving a message of some
kind. Fastened to the tree was a box, which evidently contained
telephonic apparatus. At first the boys thought he must be listening at
an ordinary telephone, but the fact that he had no transmitter indicated
that he was listening in on a radio receiving set.

The boys had hardly reached their place of concealment when the man
turned sharply about, darting furtive glances here and ther