Then they entered the
forest again, coming up presently at a point in the rear of the building
where there was a small barn and also several sheds.

The Parkingham house was a rambling structure which had seen better
days. One end sagged, and here a porch post had fallen away, along with
several steps. But the other end of the long building had evidently been
put in some kind of repair, for some boards on the piazza were new, as
were also several window sashes. All the curtains were drawn down.

"Somebody mast be living here," remarked Randy. "Otherwise they wouldn't
have gone to the trouble and expense of making repairs."

They looked around the old house carefully, but could see nobody. Then
they peered into the barn.

"No horses here," announced Gif. "And that big sleigh isn't here
either."

"Then, if those Germans live here, they must be away on a trip,"
remarked Jack after a pause.

"I don't see anything suspicious around this place," said Andy.

The barn showed signs of use, and so did the other outbuildings, and
there were numerous tracks in the snow leading from the barn to the
house. At the well some water had been spilled, and this had not yet had
time to freeze.

"They can't have gone away so very long ago," was Gif's comment. He
turned to the others. "Well, what's the next move?"

"I don't see why you don't walk right up and knock on the door, and if
them fellers are around have a talk with 'em," declared Jed Wallop. "If
they are above board, they won't hesitate about answerin' questions."

"Let us wait around the barn for a while and see if anybody comes in or
goes out," suggested Jack. He could not get it out of his mind how
queerly the Germans had acted, and he felt certain that something was
wrong and that the fellows ought to be reported to the authorities.

"Gee! it's rather cold around here," remarked Fred, as they walked up
and down in the big barn to keep warm.

"I'm going to cover myself in the hay if you fellows are going to stay
here any length of time," cried Andy, and in a playful mood he and his
twin made a dash for what looked to be a large quantity of hay at one
side of the barn. Both burrowed down in this, and then Randy set up a
cry of surprise.

"Hello! this isn't a pile of hay at all. It's bundles of wire!"

"Bundles of wire?" queried Jack.

"What kind of wire?" asked Gif.

"Looks like fence wire, or telegraph wire, to me," said Andy, who was
holding some of the hay