CHAPTER V

THE SEARCH


When Dorothy told her folks of what had happened, the boys could
scarcely believe the strange story. That any one should actually make
such a wild-west attempt at robbery, within reach of the Cedars,
certainly did seem incredible. However, there was no disproving the
marks on the girl's arms, where they had been rudely tied, nor could
any one deny that in the attempt to remove her bracelet her delicate
wrist had been badly bruised. At first it was thought best to at once
notify the police, but, upon further consideration, Major Dale advised
keeping the matter quiet, hoping that some one in the neighborhood
would fall upon a clue to the daring young highwayman.

"I do hope the mystery will be cleared up before I leave for camp,"
remarked Dorothy, as the family sat in the beautiful library at the
Cedars, discussing the strange affair. "I should never be satisfied
with a written account of what may happen, when you find the culprit."

"Oh, we can tell you that right now," declared Nat, warmly. "When we
find him we will lynch him, burn him at the stake, and have him
imprisoned for life. When that sentence shall have been served we will
make a fresh charge against him, and perhaps----"

"Put him in a reformatory until he is twenty-one," finished Ned.
"Well, he deserves it! And to think that we should be almost within
call! Dorothy, I am inclined to question the wisdom of your silence.
Why didn't you yell like thunder?"