At this point the path seemed to dwindle down to little or nothing.
"We have come to the end of the trail," was Tom's comment, as he gazed around sharply.
"Do you see anything ?" queried his brother.
"Nothing much.

One or two of the bushes over yonder seem to be brushed aside and broken." "What do you think we had best do now ?" "Listen!" Both remained silent for several minutes, but nothing out of the ordinary reached their ears.
"We may as well give it up, Sam.

It is growing dark and there is no telling where this search would lead us.

We might even get lost in the woods." They retraced their steps as quickly as they could to where they had left the rowboat.
"What luck ?" queried Fred.
"None; he got away from us." "It's too bad," said Powell; and then the return to the camp was made without further delay..