"Easier than I thought it would be!" exclaimed the freight agent, with a deep breath of relief. "I wish we were over all the way!"
"The second trip will be easier than the first was," remarked Andy.
"It is much more shallow."
"I will wade ahead and make sure of the way," put in Matt, and without loss of time he started out.
It was not so deep toward the Pennsylvania sh.o.r.e, but the current appeared to run swifter, and the boy had all he could do when up to his thighs to keep his feet. But the horse and wagon came along all right, and inside of ten minutes they were high and dry upon the opposite bank.
Here it did not take long to rediscover the tracks made by the auction turn-out, and as soon as Matt could don what clothing he had taken off, they started to follow it up once more.
"I can"t see why he crossed the river in that fashion," grumbled the freight agent, as he tapped his horse with the whip.
"I can," returned Andy. "He did it to throw us off the track. He had no time to get rid of the signs on the wagon, and he knew we would learn, sooner or later, in what direction he had gone. But he thought we would not find out how he had crossed and would think that he had kept along on the eastern bank."
On and on they went, over the rocky roads, now through a sharp cut between the mountains, and then again around a curve overlooking some tiny stream far below.
"A beautiful place," said Matt, as his eyes rested on a particularly beautiful bit of picturesque scenery. "How can people stick in the stuffy city when there is so much like this going to waste, so to speak?"
"That"s a conundrum," returned Andy. "But I have heard it said that many city-born folks would rather die between brick walls than live amid green fields."
"Just look at those rocks and trees, and listen to those birds sing!"
"It is truly grand, that"s a fact," returned Andy. "Do you know, if I was wealthy, I believe I would like nothing better than to spend all of my summer in among the mountains."
"And that would just suit me," returned Matt enthusiastically, and then he suddenly sobered down. "But we are not rich, Andy, and unless we get back our turn-out we"ll be as poor as ever."
"Oh, we"ll have to catch that thief," put in the freight agent. "He can"t be many miles ahead."
"The trouble is it"s growing dark, and we can hardly see the wagon tracks any more," said the young auctioneer.
"It grows dark early in among the mountains," remarked Andy. "If the land was level, it would be light enough."
On they went, pa.s.sing through several little hamlets. At each of these places they inquired about the auction wagon, and were told that it had pa.s.sed through, the man driving at almost top speed.
"He is going to get away as far as he can before he puts up for the night," said Andy. "I do not believe we will catch him until we reach the place at which he is stopping."
"My trotter is not used to this sort of thing," said the freight agent. "He is beginning to play out."
"At the next town we reach we can hire a horse," said Matt. "And you can go back if you wish. There is no telling how long this chase may last."
"I ought to be back attending to business," was the agent"s reply. "My clerk can hardly take my place. Would you two be willing to go on alone?"
"Certainly," returned Andy.
The next place, a village of perhaps twenty or thirty houses and half a dozen stores, was soon reached. There was a small tavern, and they drove up to this. Alighting, Matt ran inside and questioned the half a score of loungers concerning the auction wagon.
Every man in the place shook his head. The wagon had not been seen in the village. Nearly all of the men had just come in from work, and every one said that had the wagon been on the main road at all he would have seen it.
Matt listened with a sinking heart, and as Andy came in he grasped his partner by the shoulder.
"We have made a mistake," he said faintly.
"A mistake, Matt?"
"Yes. The wagon did not come here at all. We are on the wrong track!"
CHAPTER XXVI.
SOMETHING OF A SURPRISE.
Andy was certainly as much dismayed as Matt at the discovery which had been made. Just at the time when they supposed that they were drawing closer to the object of their chase, they found that they were most likely further away than ever. The older member of the firm gave another groan, and this was supplemented by another from the freight agent.
"I knew he couldn"t cross that river," growled the latter. "Now, just see what a wild goose chase you have led us!"
"Oh, he crossed the river, there is no doubt of that!" returned Matt quickly. "But where we got off the track was somewhere among the mountains. We dropped the right track and took something that resembled it."
"Yes, that must be the truth of the matter," put in Andy. "It"s too bad!"
"What"s it all about, anyway?" questioned the tavern-keeper curiously.
In a few brief words Andy explained matters, while not only the tavern-keeper, but also the others in the place, listened with deep interest.
"Any reward offered for catching the rascal?" questioned one of the men present, a brawny individual--evidently a mountaineer.
"Yes," returned Matt quickly. "How much shall we offer, Andy?" he asked in a whisper.
"Twenty-five dollars would not be too much," returned his partner. "It is quite a sum to us, I know, but I guess we would rather have our turn-out back a dozen times over."
"We will give twenty-five dollars in cash for the return of our horse, wagon and goods," said Matt, in a voice loud enough for all to hear.
"Twenty-five dollars in cash!" repeated several, and it was plain to see that this offer was regarded as quite liberal.
"What kind of a looking turn-out is it?" was next asked.
Matt described Billy and the wagon. All listened attentively, and when he had finished the mountaineer who had first spoken tapped him on the shoulder.
"I"ll go out with ye and hunt him up, stranger."
"So will I!" cried another.
"And I!" added a third, and soon six men stood ready to continue the search with Andy and Matt.
Seeing this, the freight agent decided to drive back home, taking a much better road, which led down to Easton. He did not lose any time in starting, and, if the truth must be told, both Andy and Matt were glad to be rid of him.