It was quite dark now, but the stars already twinkled and there was promise of bright moonlight. The five made their way forward stealthily.

Ten minutes later they came within sight of the shanty, and they stopped for a moment. Suddenly d.i.c.k pointed straight ahead.

"Look," he whispered.

The others gazed in the direction he pointed. There, lying upon the ground, they recognized the figures of Jones, Briggs and Jimmy.

"Guess they have let the girls sleep in the house," said Leonard. "Now is a good time to advance. The men are asleep."

Cautiously they advanced again, and then, when they were perhaps twenty yards from the sleepers, Jones suddenly sat up and looked around.

His eyes fell upon the cautiously-approaching figures, and he jumped to his feet with an exclamation of dismay, and turned to run. But d.i.c.k was too quick for him.

Dashing forward at top speed, he hurled himself forward and caught Jones by the legs. Jones came to the ground with a crash.

He was up in a moment, however, and grappling with his a.s.sailant. But this time d.i.c.k was prepared for him, and with solid ground under his feet, he was more than a match for the older man.

Backward and forward, backward and forward they swayed, each trying to gain a hold by which he might throw the other. And d.i.c.k got his first.

Exerting his utmost strength, he heaved as hard as he could, and Jones, large though he was, went crashing to the ground, where he lay still.

In falling his head had come in contact with a sharp stone, and he was temporarily stunned.

In the meantime, the others had subdued Briggs, and then had stopped to watch the struggle between Jones and d.i.c.k. That over, Leonard stooped and unbound and ungagged Jimmy, and then turned toward the shanty.

"Might as well let the girls out," he said.

He knocked upon the door. There was no response and he knocked again.

Still no response.

Leonard burst the door in with a single kick of his foot and stepped over the threshold. Then he started back in amazement and uttered a low cry.

"What's the matter?" demanded d.i.c.k, approaching and peering over his shoulder.

"Matter!" repeated Leonard. "Matter enough! The girls are not here!"

CHAPTER XXI.-AN UNPLEASANT SITUATION.

d.i.c.k pushed by Leonard and entered the shanty. It was true. There was no sign of either Shirley or Mabel.

"What on earth can have happened to them?" asked Leonard anxiously.

"I haven't the slightest idea," returned d.i.c.k. "We'll ask Jones."

They stepped outside again.

Upon Leonard's first cry of surprise, Jenkins and the two policemen had moved toward the house, and for the moment Jones had been left unguarded. The prisoner was not slow to take advantage of his opportunity and no sooner had his captors' backs been turned than he took to his heels and soon disappeared in the darkness.

Consequently, when Leonard and d.i.c.k came from the shanty there was no Jones to be found.

d.i.c.k turned upon Jenkins and the officers angrily.

"You are a fine bunch, you are," he said with withering scorn. "A nice lot of guards I must say. Jones has gone."

The three looked from one to the other sheepishly, and Jenkins opened his mouth to speak.

"Never mind," said d.i.c.k. "There is no use talking about it now. The first thing is to find the girls."

"And where are we to look for them?" demanded Leonard.

d.i.c.k shrugged his shoulders.

"You know as much about it as I do," he replied.

"Then," said Leonard, "I suggest that we go first to the launch, to make sure that it is all right. Jones is likely to steal it again."

"I guess you are right," said d.i.c.k. "Come on."

He stooped for a moment to lift up Jimmy Smith, who still sat on the ground. The latter arose slowly and stretched his cramped limbs.

"My, but it feels good to be loose again," he said.

He followed the others toward the creek.

The party made rapid progress for they did not wish Jones to get there ahead of them. But their fear was unnecessary, for Jones, once out of sight, had sat down, feeling safe in the darkness.

A short time after, the party of searchers arrived at the bank of the little stream.

"Great Scott! where's the launch?" exclaimed Leonard.

The others also uttered exclamations of astonishment. There was no sign of the _Sybil_.

"Jones must have arrived ahead of us," said Jenkins.

d.i.c.k was struck with a sudden idea. He uttered a low chuckle. The others turned upon him, and one of the officers said:

"This is no laughing matter. What's so funny, anyhow?"

"Well," said d.i.c.k, "I believe I have solved the disappearance of the _Sybil_. I am sure that it was not Jones who took it, and Uncle Briggs is still where we left him, so it could not have been him."

"Then who was it?" demanded Leonard.

"The two young ladies," replied d.i.c.k.