that of which he was in search; but
always when he found the tracks again their character showed him that
the men were still carrying their burden. The tracks seemed fresher
now; in spite of his weakness he was advancing much faster than the
others had been able to do in the darkness and heavily laden. As near
as he could tell, the men had passed just before dawn. Suddenly he
came upon the pike which ran parallel to the line of the lake, some
hundred yards back from the shore.

He shrank back, throwing himself upon his face in the bushes; the men
evidently had crossed this pike. Full day had come, and as Eaton
peered out and up and down the road, he saw no one; this road appeared
unguarded. Eaton, assured no one was in sight, leaped up and crossed
the road. As he reached its further side, a boy carrying a fishpole
appeared suddenly from behind some bushes. He stared at Eaton; then,
terrified by Eaton's appearance, he dropped the fishpole and fled
screaming up the road. Eaton stared dazedly after him for a fraction
of an instant, then plunged into the cover. He found the tracks again,
and followed them dizzily.

But the boy had given the alarm. Eaton heard the whirring of motors on
the road and men shouting to one another; then he heard them beating
through the bushes. The noise was at some distance; evidently the boy
in his fright and confusion had not directed the men to the exact spot
where Eaton had entered the woods or they in their excitement had
failed to understand him. But the sounds were drawing nearer. Eaton,
exhausted and dizzy, followed feverishly the footmarks on the ground.
It could not be far now--the men could not have carried their burden
much further than this. They must have hidden it somewhere near here.
He would find it near by--must find it before these others found him.
But now he could see men moving among the tree-trunks. He threw
himself down among some bushes, burrowing into the dead leaves. The
men passed him, one so close that Eaton could have thrown a twig and
hit him. Eaton could not understand why the man did not see him, but
he did not; the man stopped an instant studying the footmarks imprinted
in the earth; evidently they had no significance for him, for he went
on.

When the searchers had passed out of sight, Eaton sprang up and
followed the tracks again. They were distinct here, plainly printed,
and he followed easily. He could hear men all about him, out of sig