es
it, now?"

"No, it doesn't look reasonable," Jack admitted.

"You know what we were saying about Ned's theory?" Frank asked, in a
moment.

"You mean our talk about criminals pointing the way to their own
destruction by unwise activity in defensive methods? Of course I remember
it. If what we suspect is true, though, Ned rather overplayed it in this
case, and got caught."

"We don't know yet whether he got caught or not. We only know that he is
unaccountably missing. Well, what if we accept Ned's theory here and go
with this messenger? If he is on the square he'll take us to Ned. If he is
crooked he'll take us to people who know why Ned did not return to the
cottage."

"It may be easier to get taken to the people you speak of than to get away
from them," Jack said, dubiously.

"I'm game to try it, anyway," Frank continued, "but I think we ought to
leave one behind at the cottage, for Ned may return, possibly, though I
doubt it. Anyway, it will do no harm to leave some one here."

"Suppose," suggested Jack, "we don't leave any one at the cottage, but
instruct one of the boys to remain here when we go with this fellow and
then follow on immediately, sort of keep track of where we are taken?"

"That's a fine idea," Frank replied. "I'll go with the messenger and take
the boys with me. You remain here and see where we go--that is, you remain
here when we leave and then trail on after us, like a Sherlock Holmes."

"I would rather go with you," Jack replied, "but I'll do the sleuth act if
you prefer to have me. You'll need a rescuer, all right," he added, "for
Lieutenant Gordon never sent that chap after us. Never in the world."

The cook soon called the boys to breakfast, but there was not much eaten,
greatly to the disgust of the cook. When they left the table the messenger
asked if they were ready to go.

"All ready," cried Frank, but Jack threw himself into a chair and took up
a magazine, watching the face of the messenger over the pages as he did
so.

"You are to give up the cottage," the messenger said, with a frown of
disapproval. "No one is to be left here."

"It will be all right for me to remain here until the others come," Jack
said, with a smile. "I don't feel like a walk this morning."

"There is a motor car just over the hill."

"No inducement," laughed Jack. "I'm going to remain here."

The messenger said no more, though it was plain that the arrangement did
not please him. In a few moments