"Don't know," was Dave's equally laconic answer.
Before them the trail branched out in three different directions, like three spokes within the right angle of a wheel.
"This is a regular Chinese puzzle," said Dave, after an inspection of the trails. "The one to the right looks to be the most traveled."
The two boys made every possible effort to pierce the darkness ahead of them, and presently Phil fancied he saw a light in the distance. Dave was not sure if it was a light or a star just showing above the clearing horizon.
"Well, we may as well go ahead," said the shipowner's son. "No use in staying here trying to figure it out."
They went on, taking the center one of the three trails. They had covered less than quarter of a mile when Phil gave a shout.
"It is a light, I am sure of it--the light of a lamp or lantern! Hurrah! we must be on the right trail after all!"
"Go slow, Phil," cried Dave, a sudden thought striking him. "That may not be a ranch light."
"Yes, but----"
"It may be something much worse--for us."
"What do you mean?"
"It may be the light from the camp of the horse-thieves."
CHAPTER XIX
A FRUITLESS SEARCH
Phil stared at Dave in consternation.
"Do you really think that?" he cried.
"I don't say I think so, I only say it may be," returned the youth from Crumville.
"If they are the horse-thieves, and we watch our chances, we may get the animals back!"
"Not unless it is a single thief, Phil. We don't want to run the risk of getting shot in the dark."
"That's true."
With great caution the two lads advanced along the muddy trail. As they got closer to the light they saw that it came from a log house, low and rambling. Not far away were several other buildings, and also a corral.
"We are on the right trail after all!" sang out the shipowner's son, joyfully, and commenced to run at the best speed he could command.
"Hold on!" called Dave, but Phil was so eager to get to the house first that he paid no attention to the words. Not until he had reached the very piazza of the building did he pause to stare around him.
"Why, it's not Mr. Endicott's place at all!" he exclaimed.
He had made considerable noise ascending the piazza, and now a door was flung open, letting a stream of light flood his face, momentarily blinding him.
"Hello! what do you want?" demanded a man Phil had never seen before.
"Why--er--what place is this?" stammered the youth, and as he asked the question Dave came up behind him.
"This is the Triple X Ranch," was the man's answer.
"What! Mr. Merwell's place?" stammered Phil.
"That's it. Want to see him? Why, say, you're all out of wind,--anything wrong?"
"I--I didn't know this was the Merwell place," murmured Phil. He knew not what else to say, he was so taken back.
"Who is that, Jerry?" asked another voice, and a moment later Felix Merwell stepped into view. As he saw Dave he scowled slightly.
"Why, Mr. Merwell, we--er----" commenced Phil, and then he looked at Dave.
"We were out and we lost our way in the darkness and got on the wrong trail," said Dave, quickly. "Will you be kind enough to direct us to the trail to Mr. Endicott's ranch?"
"Endicott's ranch is a good bit from here," growled Felix Merwell.
"But, Dave----" interrupted Phil, when a meaning look from his chum silenced him.
"Haven't you got no hosses?" asked the man who had first come to the door.
"No, but we don't mind that," said Dave. "We can walk."
"Jerry, show them the trail," said Mr. Merwell, shortly, and turned his back on the boys.
The ranch hand came out without waiting to get his hat or coat, and walked to a point back of the corral.
"It's a long, lonely way," he said, kindly. "You ought to have horses."
"How many miles?" asked Dave.
"About one and a half."
"Oh, that is not so far."
"Got caught in the storm, eh?"
"Yes."
"Link is out too and the old man is kind of worried about him. He sent Hank Snogger out to look for him."
"Then Link didn't come back this afternoon?" said Dave, quickly.
"No, he's been out since early morning. You met him, eh?"
"Yes, but that was about the middle of the forenoon. He was over in the woods."
"It was such a blow the old man is worried, thinking Link might have got caught under a tree in the woods, or something like that. There's your trail. Keep to that and it will take you right to the Endicott corral."
"Thank you," said both boys, and a moment later they and the man had separated. The ranch hand watched them out of sight, then returned to the house.
"Dave, why didn't you tell them about the horse-thieves?" asked Phil, as soon as he deemed it safe to ask the question.
"I didn't want to ask any favors of Mr. Merwell, that's why," was the reply. "I don't believe he'd want to go after them, and I didn't want to borrow any horses from him."
"Well, I don't blame you for looking at it that way. But we may be losing valuable time."
"We ought to be able to reach Mr. Endicott's place inside of twenty minutes. Come on," and Dave increased his speed.
"Did you note the fact that Link has not yet returned?" said the shipowner's son.
"Yes, but that doesn't prove anything. He may have crept into some place for shelter from the storm, just as we did."
The two youths kept on steadily and before long saw another light in the distance. Then they heard hoofbeats, and soon several forms on horseback loomed out of the darkness.
"Hello!" sang out the voice of Sid Todd. "Who are you?"
"Todd!" called Dave, and a moment later the cowboy rode up, followed by another ranch hand and Mr. Endicott.
"What is wrong?" demanded the railroad president, quickly. "Where are the others?" and his face showed his extreme anxiety.
"The others are safe, so far as we know," answered Dave. "But we have had quite an adventure." And then he and Phil told of how the horses had been stolen, and of how they themselves had been caught in the woods during the great blow.
"The horse-thieves again!" exclaimed Mr. Endicott, wrathfully. "We must get after them this time and run them down! Todd, tell the other men at once! We must lose no time in getting after them! And send word around to the other ranches!"
The railroad president smiled grimly when the boys told him of the brief stop at the Merwell place.
"I don't blame you for not wanting aid from Mr. Merwell," said he. "I want to leave him alone myself. I am only sorry