the boards to be ready?" asked Billy.

"Not exactly that," said Mr. Peek, "but them plank was carried way down
here for the purpose. No stranger would 'a' known where to look for
'em."

Instantly Billy remembered that Alfred Earnest and Alex Hipp were
familiar with all this neighborhood. He started to speak but a quick
second thought bade him refrain.

"Gosh! We've got the car and we're mighty glad of the planks to help her
up to the road again!" cried Paul. He did not grasp the significance of
Mr. Peek's words as Billy did. "We're going to take her right to
Griffin, ain't we? We'll telegraph Phil and Dave in a hurry if we can
only find where they're at."

It was agreed that the Big Six should be gotten out of the old icehouse
and in readiness to go to Griffin, even before Mr. Peek had been taken
home. The old gentleman was eager to help, but his services were hardly
needed. With the same heavy boards the thieves had used, a runway was
made out from the sawdust to the outside incline. Carefully the machine
was backed up. All went well and in three minutes the mud-stained but
still handsome automobile stood in the sunshine again.

By a similar process the planks bridged the way up the steep embankment
of the road, running directly over the low rail fence. The ascent was
steep but with a quick start Billy made the upward run nicely. The
machine's long body swung prettily around at the top, once more on the
open highway.

Finding his services were of no value in the moving of the car, Mr. Peek
had been making further search inside and outside the icehouse. Now
Billy and Paul joined him. But all their eager scrutiny was without
reward. No sign was discovered which might show who had stolen the Big
Six or what the purpose of the thieves may have been in concealing the
car where it was found.

"This little trip has done me a world of good. I do believe I could be
right spry again if I had some spry young fellows to help me get
started, as you have done," said Mr. Peek. The boys were just leaving
him at his home. "It's a pretty mysterious business about them planks,"
he remarked a moment later. "Don't you let that automobile out o' your
hands again."

There was little danger that the boys would do so, it is needless to
say. Paul had driven the large car right behind Billy and Mr. Peek in
the Torpedo, and similarly, each driving a machine, they returned
triumphantly to Griffin and to Willie Creek's garage.

To say t