tell him, Bill, was about the planks that had been carried from over the
hill to run the Six down the bank on," observed Paul Jones,
thoughtfully.

"Looks a lot like Hipp and Earnest, so far as the hiding of our car
goes, Mack," Billy added to Paul's idea, for Dave was an interested
listener.

"In with you! Speed now, David, if there's such a thing!" This from
Detective Bob, the first words to Phil standing beside the car, the
second order to MacLester at the wheel. And as the Six instantly
responded,--"Out to the right-hand fork, and not a minute to lose!" he
said.

There was unmistakable authority and command in his manner. One could
have thought of nothing but instant obedience. Yet from his smile and
gentle tone it seemed that he might have said, "I declare, it's a very
pleasant evening."

Their hearts beating hard with the excitement of adventure and the rapid
ride, the Auto Boys vainly speculated, each in his own thoughts, upon
the unknown plans and intentions of the detective.

"Turn right! We're doing famously, but--" Without a sign of question, or
any movement save a quick, short nod to say that he heard, MacLester
obeyed Bob Rack's order. Like a flying specter, the Big Six shot down
the little grade where the lonely Right Fork branched off, and on and
on.

Not a word was spoken. Scurrying masses of cloud swept the sky above and
only at intervals did rifts appear where the moon shone through,
relieving for the moment the heavy darkness. Over to the south and back
to the west the inky clouds were rolling up like wind-tossed mountains.
Flashes of lightning came more and more often, and after each the
thunder crashed or rumbled in the distance. The lonely woodlands, and
the wildness of the unused, brush-grown fields were almost terrifying as
each sharp and sudden glare fell for an instant on them.

All within a second the flying car drew near and passed the darker
shadows that marked the miller's grim old house, the mill, the pond, the
icehouse. Over the bridge and up the grade--a stretch of level road,
then down the slope to the swampy spot where the Six was ditched that
other time, then up again and on!

"Stop here, David." Always that same easy, gentle tone, but Mack obeyed
the order instantly.

"You know this road. Could you go forward without lights?" And without
waiting for an answer, "Will you put them out, Way?"

Every light was extinguished. The car stood in total darkness, but stood
for a