s sitting on your chest and pulling your hair."

"Oh, I don't know," growled Dodge sulkily. "He may have his weak
spot, and it may be a very weak spot at that."

The pair moped along until they reached the garage in which they
had left the runabout.

Bayliss was standing near the doorway, while Bert inspected the
machinery of the car.

"Pest! Look out there," muttered Bayliss, stepping back from
the open doorway.

"What is it?" demanded Bert. "Oh, I see! Old Schimmelpodt brought
the beggar Prescott over here in an auto. That's how the fellow
managed to get into the game, after all. Well, what of it all,
anyway?"

"That car is running along slowly, and it has a full-sized crowd
in it," muttered Bayliss, going closer to his crony. "Wadleigh,
Prescott and Darrin---and maybe the chauffeur is a thick friend
of theirs."

"What on earth are you driving at?" demanded Dodge, glancing up.

"Bert, I don't believe I'm wholly stuck on the scheme of us driving
back to Gridley. There are too many lonely spots along the road.

"Do you think they'd assassinate us?" jeered Bert.

"I---I think Wadleigh may have formed the notion of stopping us
and giving us a thrashing," responded Bayliss.

"Bosh!" snapped Dodge quickly.

Yet, none the less, he paused and looked thoughtful.

"There's more than one road to Gridley, old fellow," muttered
Bert uneasily. "You see Schimmelpodt and that mocker didn't pass
us on the way here."

"But I think they're likely to have guessed our road," persisted
Bayliss. "There was an ugly look on Wadleigh's face, too, as
that car drove past here."

"But old Schimmelpodt wouldn't stand for anything disorderly
and---unlawful," urged Bert.

"I don't know about that," retorted Bayliss significantly. "That
old German has gone crazy over High School sports. He might stand
in for 'most anything. You know, he offered your Dad to give you
a spanking this afternoon."

The thought of Herr Schimmelpodt's big and capable-looking hands
caused Bert to shiver a bit uneasily. Yet he didn't want to
admit that he was scared. He glanced at his watch.

"We've time to catch the regular train back, I suppose, Bayliss."

"Let's do it, then," begged the other.

"Will you pay a chauffeur to take this car home, then?"

"I'll pay half," volunteered Bayliss eagerly.

"All right, then; if you're pretty near broke, we'll divide the
cost," agreed Dodge.

An arrangement was easily made with the owner