The two hastened around the house, accompanied by their mother, who
had followed them to the door and had, like her sons, noted that there
was nobody to be seen. And when they reached the front yard, they saw
it was the same there: Not a soul was in the front yard. The Tories,
and Mr. Dare as well, had disappeared.

"Oh, where can they be?" cried Mrs. Dare, almost at the weeping point.
"What have they done with your father? Oh, I am afraid they have
wrought him injury of some kind, sons!"

The youths were alarmed, but they pretended that such was not the
case, in order to reassure their mother. They said that their father
was all right.

"He has gone with them, to see about something," said Dick. "You go
back in the house, mother, and Tom and I will go over to Mr. Boggs and
see what has become of father. Likely he is there. You go in and stay
with Mary. We won't be gone long."

"Very well, Dick," said Mrs. Dare; "but hurry, for I shall be anxious
till you get back with your father."

She entered the house, and Dick and Tom hastened over to the Boggs
home, which was less than a quarter mile distant. Mr. Dare was not
there, and Mrs. Boggs said she did not know where her husband was,
that he had left the house an hour or more before, saying he did not
know when he would be back. Thanking her for the information, Dick and
Tom hastened to the homes of several of the neighboring Tories in
succession, and made inquiries regarding Mr. Dare, but with the same
result as at the Boggs home. In none of the homes visited were any of