y mistake by believing the trail of
the Torpedo had no connection with the theft of their own car. Or so it
would seem, would it not? And yet, even if the thieves who first stole
the Harkville car were the same who, later on, made off with the Big
Six, what could be gained by going back along the route to deliver the
one recovered machine instead of pursuing diligently the more recently
stolen property?

"We'll never see our car again; that I know," said Dave MacLester, glum
and despondent. He pulled on his shoes in the stuffy little hotel room
next morning, as if life were to him a barren, barren waste.

"It's mostly the time of day, Mack," said Way good-humoredly. "Half-past
five has a mighty blue appearance after you've been eating strange grub,
and staying up till midnight the day before. You'll brighten up like the
shining sun if we can only get out where there is such a thing--that and
get hold of a little news to-day."

"We haven't got hold of any _yet_," asserted MacLester, not a bit more
cheerfully.

And his words were the truth, cold and harsh, as the truth may sometimes
be, beyond a doubt.

CHAPTER III

MR. BILLY WORTH DOES SOME THINKING

"Hello! What's all the feverish bustle about? Good news, I hope!"

This from Mr. Wagg as Billy and Paul, very warm and very red, hustled
into that gentleman's hotel and suddenly stopped, as if they had at that
moment forgotten what they came for.

"No,--not exactly," said Billy. "Fact is, we have no news at all and it
just makes us feel that we've got to get busy; and that's what we've
been doing--hustling up here as hard as ever we could."

"What for? What scent are you on now?" asked the landlord, peering over
his glasses as he leaned upon the register counter. There was a trace of
amusement in his voice.

"That's just it," put in Paul. "We don't know just what scent we _are_
on but, by thunder! we've _got_ to get some news of that car!"

"Well, I suppose that nothing succeeds like determination," observed Mr.
Wagg kindly. "Still, there's a lot o' misdirected energy in the world."
With a sigh he sat down and resumed the afternoon nap which the swift
entrance of the boys had broken in upon.

A large part of Griffin seemed to be occupied quite as was Landlord
Wagg. How very quiet the little town was this tranquil June afternoon!

"Ginger! I'd just like to take a nap myself; but we've got to keep
busy," mused Billy. The two were seated in big armchair