By this time the fellow was out of sight.

The cadets strained their ears, but in the snow no sounds of footsteps reached them.
"I guess we have lost him," murmured Fred.
"Sorry I didn't keep after him," grumbled Andy.
"He might have shot you." "Come on, let us make a hunt for him!" cried Jack, and this was done.
But though they searched the vicinity for the best part of half an hour they failed to locate the man who had fled.
"Jack, who do you think it was ?" questioned Pepper, as the four boys gathered in the mansion and lit one of the lamps, for it was now quite dark.
"I may be mistaken, but to me his voice sounded like that of the man Reff Ritter met in Cedarville, Cameron Smith." "Just what I think!" cried The Imp.

"Did you get a look at his face ?" "Not a close look, and it was too dark to see much.

But that Smith had a queer catch in his voice and this fellow had the same thing." "Yes, I remember that." "Was that the fellow Reff met ?" demanded Andy.
"We are not sure, Andy, but we think so." "What was he doing here ?" asked Fred.
"That remains for us to find out," answered Pepper.

"Certainly the man had no right here, otherwise he wouldn't have run away as he did." "Let us take a look through the house," suggested Pepper.
A hand-lamp was lit and the boys began a systematic inspection of the Lodge.