.

"I should think they'd go farther down the coast," suggested Joe. "They
certainly wouldn't come toward the lighthouse, and they wouldn't go
inland, for to work their plan they need to be near the shore."

"That's right, to an extent," decided Blake; "but, at the same time,
they may have wanted to give a false clue. So we mustn't let that fool
us. Keep on looking."

Narrowly they scanned the ground. It was covered with marks, not only of
the footsteps of the wreckers, but of the men and boys themselves who
had made the unsuccessful raid the night before.

"Hello!" cried Blake, suddenly, as he dived into a clump of bushes.
"Here's something!"

"What is it?" asked Joe.

"A piece of cloth, evidently torn from a man's clothing. And, Joe, now
that I recall it, it's the same color as the suit worn by Hemp Danforth
when he chased us. We're on the trail at last, Joe!"

CHAPTER XX

THE DISCOVERY

Joe Duncan leaped to his chum's side. Eagerly he looked at the bit of
cloth which, caught on a thorn bush, had ripped from some man's garment.
The cloth was not weather-beaten, which, to the boys, showed that it had
not long been hanging there.

"Blake, I believe you're right," assented his chum. "They went this way,
and they must have done it for a blind, or else to get to some path that
goes farther down the beach a different way," for the cloth was caught
on a bush toward the landward side of the little clearing.

"We'll follow this," said Blake.

"Of course," agreed his chum.

They pushed into the bushes. There was no semblance of a path, but this
did not discourage the boys. They realized that the wreckers would want
to cover up their trail, and would take a way that would not seem to
lead anywhere.

"This will branch off pretty soon," was Blake's opinion. "This is just
a blind, to make us believe they have given up, and gone inland. Come
on, Joe, and keep a sharp lookout for any other signs."

They found none for some time, and then they came to a little open place
where the soft ground held several footprints.

"We're getting warmer!" exclaimed Joe.

"Hush!" cautioned his chum. "They may hear us."

"Why, you don't think they're around here; do you?"

"There's no telling. It's best to be on the safe side. Keep quiet.
Hello! here's something else!" and Blake, moving cautiously, so as not
to make any more noise than possible, picked up a bit of metal.

"What is it?" asked Joe.

"Part of their la