Part 41 (2/2)
There could be no y, were gone with Radcliff
”He has taken the road to Chicago,” said Jack, easily tracking the wheels after the recent rain ”But he'll find it not so easy selling the horse there a second time”
”But he'll spend all that h to do that”
”I wish it wasn't night,” said Jack ”I would track him! And I will as it is Have you a lantern?”
”Yes--I'll go with you! Shall we take the on?”
”If you like But, Rufe, if you go with ht I aave an Indian hoop
Mr Betterson, co up, approved of this resolution ”And, boys,” he said, ”if you _should_ lay hands on Radcliff, youhim back with you We'll try to have a more satisfactory settlement with him this time”
Jack left his friends to harness the on, and went on alone, with Lion and the lantern, up through the woods
For a while he had no trouble in following the fresh round But when he reached the prairie, an unforeseen difficulty appeared The rain had not extended so far, and the tracks were not easily distinguished
It was nearly dark when Rufe, following in the wagon, ereat prairie before hiht filled the air with their shrill, melancholy notes An owl hooted in the forest; a pair of whippoorwills were vociferating somewhere in the thickets; and far off on the prairie the wolves howled Now and then a rift of dark blue sky and a feildly hurrying stars were visible through the flocking clouds No other light, or sign of life, until Rufe descried far before hilea in Jack's hand
Driving on as fast as the mare's so for hi a northerly direction, the other trending easterly, toward the great road to Chicago
”Here's a puzzle,” said Jack, as Rufe drove up ”I've tracked the fellow as far as here, notwithstanding he has tried the trick of driving off on the prairie in two or three places But here, instead of taking the direct road to Chicago, as we supposed, he has taken this by-road, if ht; for I believe I'veSnowfoot”
Rufe juht of the lantern the imperfect and yet peculiar marks of Snowfoot's rather smooth-worn shoes, and of the narroheel-tires
”It is a game of his to mislead us,” said Rufe ”I believe if we follow him on to where this by-road crosses the main road, we shall find he has there turned off toward the city”
”Go ahead, Lion; find Snowfoot!” cried Jack, and juot on as fast as they could; but the pursuit was necessarily slow, for not only was the mare a creature of very indifferent speed, but the boys found it useful to stop every now and then and exa is right; and we are right so far, sure!” said Jack, after they had proceeded about half a mile in this way ”_Slow and sure_ is our policy We've all the fall before us, Rufe; and we'll overhaul your pretty cousin, unless soht on to the main road, and we'll see e can discover there”
To the surprise of both again, the fugitive, instead of turning cityward, kept the northerly road
”He is cunning,” said Rufe ”He knows Chicago is the first place where one would be apt to look for hi too well known in Chicago”
”He is bound for Wisconsin,” cried Jack ”Whip along This road passes through the tiain; we shall soon find settleame”
”If you can speak Dutch, and if it wasn't too late when Rad passed through,” Rufe replied ”There is a colony of _o to bed a little after sundown”
As they drove on frooes to North Mills But I sha'n't see North Mills to-night, nor for a good hts, I'm afraid”