But they continued on their way, and Dory hoped to come across the two robbers before the steamer had time to interfere in the business. Before they reached the place where Mack and Chuck had taken to the woods, the Marian was off the end of the peninsula. She did not run for the La Motte, as Dory supposed she would, and kept off so as to pass the point. Then she disappeared behind the high land.
"She is not going to meddle with the schooner," said Dory. "I don't understand her movements at all."
"I am sure I don't," added the machinist.
"No matter; and I am glad she has given the schooner a wide berth."
They struck into the woods, and walked a long distance without seeing the two robbers of whom they were in pursuit. Dory had become so desperate that he shouted several times, using the names of both Mack and Chuck; but he obtained no response to his calls.
"They can't be about here, or they would answer me when I call them by name," said he, very much puzzled at the situation.
"They must have gone some other way," suggested Mr. Jepson.
"At any rate, they are not here, and we had better return to the schooner."
They retraced their steps till they came to the narrow part of the peninsula, and there was a cart-path to the end of it.
[Illustration: "I TELL YOU WE CAN'T GET THE VESSEL OUT OF THIS PLACE."]
"They must have taken this road," said Mr. Jepson. "We had better follow this road a while before we give up the search."
"I don't see what they could be doing down there. But we will look over this region a little, and we can strike through to the beach when we like," replied Dory.
When they had gone a few rods, they came to a sandy place in the cart-path, and Dory brought his Indian craft to bear upon it. He found the footprints of two persons in the wet soil, both of them headed towards the outer extremity of the point.
"That makes it plain enough that they have come this way. I have looked for tracks before, and I could not find any," said Dory. "But we are making a blunder in the light of this information. These fellows will get down to the boat before we are there, and we shall be left out in the cold. I never thought of their coming this way, for the peninsula is very narrow."