"I looked around pretty well this afternoon," explained Jack, when the farmer and his man had reached the barn, "but, of course, I didn"t know all the nooks and corners."
A thorough search of the structure, however, failed to reveal the presence of Mark, and then the farmer volunteered to accompany the party on to the old Preakness house. His offer was received with thanks, and, bringing two more lanterns with them, Mr. Hampton and his man added considerable to the illumination.
They went through the old mansion from garret to cellar, and called repeatedly, but there was no answer. And good reason, for in the secret room, with his captive, the mysterious man heard the first approach of the searching party; and he quickly bound Mark and gagged him, so that he could not answer.
There was nothing to do but to leave, and it was with sad hearts that Jack and his friends departed, their search having been unavailing.
They turned toward home, which they reached quite late, but found nothing disturbed.
No one in Professor Henderson"s house slept much that night, and in the morning pale and wan faces looked at each other, all asking the same question: "Where is Mark?"
But no one could answer.
They talked over the matter, and decided that Jack, with Andy and Washington, should form a searching party to scour the surrounding country. The two scientists were too old for such work, and, as the aid of the police was not desired, it was felt that the three could do all that was necessary.
Accordingly, while Professor Henderson and his German friend went to work on the damaged motor, which did not need as much repairing as at first was thought to put it in working shape again, Jack and the two men started off to hunt for Mark.
They were gone all that day, returning very much discouraged at dusk, saying that they could get no trace of him.
"I don"t see where he can be!" exclaimed Jack desperately, for, though the two lads were not related, they had been friends so long, and had shared so many pleasures and dangers together, that they were like brothers. "You won"t start for the moon until you find him, will you, Professor?" asked Jack.
"No, indeed; though we could start to-morrow if he was here," replied the aged scientist. "The special tools came to-day, and the motor has been repaired. We have tested it, and the Cardite power works even better than did the Etherium apparatus."
"Then we can start as soon as Mark is found?" asked Andy Sudds.
"Yes, for everything has been put inside the projectile, and all that remains is to haul it out of the shed, point it at the moon, and start the motor."
"Then I guess I"ll give my gun a final cleaning, and get ready. There may be good hunting on the moon," said the old hunter.
Jack was tired from his long tramp that day, searching for his missing chum, but before he went to bed he wanted to go out and take a look at the big projectile, which was now ready to start for the moon.
As he turned around the corner of the immense shed to enter the door, he was startled by seeing a figure coming toward him. Jack started, rubbed his eyes, and peered again.
"Is it possible? Can I be mistaken?" he whispered.
The figure came nearer. Jack, who had come to a halt, broke into a run.
"Mark! Mark!" he cried joyously. "Oh, you"ve come back! Where have you been?"
Jack was about to clasp his chum in his arms when he saw that Mark"s arm was in a sling, and that his face was all bandaged up, so that scarcely any of his features showed. Had it not been for the clothes, and a certain stoutness of which Mark never could seem to get rid, Jack would scarcely have known his friend.
"Why, Mark, what happened?" cried Jack. "Have you met with an accident?
Where have you been? In a hospital? What became of you? Why didn"t you wait for me?"
"I can"t answer all those questions at once," was the reply, and Jack thought Mark"s voice was curiously m.u.f.fled and hoa.r.s.e, entirely unlike his usual tones. But he ascribed that to the bandages around the mouth.
"Well, answer one at a time then," said Jack, and there was an undefinable, strange air about his chum which cooled Jack"s first impulse of gladness. "Whatever happened to you, Mark? Are you hurt?"
"I was--yes," came the reply, in short, jerky tones. "I had an accident, and I"ve been in a hospital. That"s why I couldn"t send you word. But I"m all right now. When does the projectile start?"
"To-morrow, now that you"re here. But tell me more about it. Where were you hurt?"
"On my head and arm."
"No; I mean where did the accident occur?"
"Oh, in the old house where I went to--to look for that man."
"Did you find him?" asked Jack eagerly.
"No. He"s not there now."
"Well, never mind. We won"t bother about him. Come on to the house. My, but I"m glad to see you again! And so will the others be."
In his enthusiasm at seeing his chum again Jack wanted to hug him. He approached Mark, but the latter cried out:
"Look out! Don"t come too close!"
"Why not? Have you caught some disease?"
"No, but you might hurt my broken arm!"
"Oh, is it broken? That"s tough luck. Did you fall?"
"Yes--in the old house. I fell down stairs."
"And your head is all bandaged up, too," went on Jack, trying to peer into his friend"s face through the roll of bandages.
"Look out! Don"t come too near!" again warned the other. "You might jostle against me, and knock off some of the bandages."
"Did you lose some of your teeth, the reason your voice sounds so funny?" asked Jack.
"Yes, I did knock out a few when I tumbled. But don"t bother about me.
I"ll be all right soon. Let"s go in the house. I want to go to bed."
"But they"ll all want to see you, and hear about the accident, Mark,"
insisted Jack. "My, but we"ve been all worked up about you. How did you happen to be taken to a hospital?"
"A farmer came along, and I hailed him. Then I lost consciousness, and couldn"t let you know where I was. But never mind the details. I"m anxious to get started on the trip to the moon. Couldn"t we start to-night?"
"I don"t believe so. You need rest. But come on in the house." Then Jack hurried on ahead, calling: "Mark"s found! Mark is back!"
His cries brought all of the others out on the porch, and at first they could scarcely believe the good news, but soon Jack and the new arrival came in sight. As Jack had been, the two professors and the others were startled when they saw how Mark was bundled up in bandages.
"He fell down stairs," explained Jack.
"Come over here where it"s light, so I can see you," suggested Professor Henderson. "Perhaps some of the bandages have slipped off since you came from the hospital. Why did you come alone? Why didn"t you send us word where you were as soon as you were conscious, and we would have come for you."
"Oh, I didn"t want to bother you," explained the bundled-up figure. "I managed to walk it all right."