"An hour
behind time."
The boys had been waiting at the great oak since just after noon,
but Pepper had not yet come.
"Perhaps he got off the road and got lost in the woods," suggested
Jack.
"Maybe he got back sooner than he expected by some other road and
went home," said Gerald. "Shall I run over and see?"
"Go ahead," replied Rand. "We will wait for you here."
Darting off, Gerald was gone but a few minutes, returning on the
run to report that Pepper had not been back since morning.
"Perhaps he has got hurt somehow," put in Dick.
"It is no way impossible," assented Donald. "It might no be a bad
idea to walk along the road until we meet him."
"Which way did he go?" asked Jack.
"The upper road," replied Rand.
The boys acted upon the suggested and proceeded along the road,
slowly at first, then more rapidly as their comrade did not appear.
They had covered more than half the distance to Highpoint.
"Listen!" said Jack suddenly, as they stopped for a moment. "What
is that?"
Faint and far in the distance sounded what seemed like a bugle
call.
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