pot
was a particularly lonely one.

"Did you come from the direction of Snagtown?" went on Dick.

"Dat's wot I did, sah."

"Did you see anything of a big automobile going that way, one with a
coach top?"

At this question the aged colored man blinked his eyes and shifted
uneasily. He glanced back, over his load of wood.

"I--I ain't got nuffin to say, boss, I ain't got nuffin to say!" he
answered finally, and prepared to drive on.

"Oh, yes, you have got something to say--and you are going to say it!"
cried Dick, and he ran forward, in front of the horses, and caught hold
of one by the bit.

CHAPTER XXIII

AT CLOSE QUARTERS

"Say, you dun let my hosses alone!" cried the colored man, in fright.

"Don't you dare to drive away until you have answered our questions,"
returned Dick, firmly.

"I--I don't want to git in no trouble, boss--'deed I don't!" wailed the
driver of the farm wagon.

"Well, you answer our questions, and tell us the strict truth."

"I--I didn't do nuffin, give you-all my word I didn't!"

"But you saw the auto, with the men and the girls in it?" cried Dick,
sharply.

"Ye-as, sah, I--I did, sah," was the stammered-out reply.

"Where did you see them?"

"Down in Snagtown, sah."

"What were the folks in the auto doing?"

"Da was a-waitin' fo' one of de men to fix up de wheel. De rubber on de
wheel dun got busted."

"I see. And what were the men in the auto, and the girls, doing?" went
on Dick, quickly.

"Say, boss, I don't want no trouble, 'deed I don't! I didn't do nuffin!
I jess looked at' em, dat's all. An' dat one man he said he'd mak me
suffer if I opened my mouf 'bout wot I saw," explained the aged colored
man, in a trembling voice. "I'se an honest, hard-workin' man, I is! I
works fo' Massah Sheldon fo' sixteen years now, an' he'll dun tole
yo'-all I'se honest, an----"

"All right, I believe you are honest," answered Dick, in a kindlier
tone. "But those men are rascals, and we want to catch them. They
carried those two girls off against their will."

"Dat's wot I was suspicioned of, boss, fo' de young ladies was a-cryin'
hard an' wanted to git out, an' de men wouldn't let 'em. I wanted to do
sumfing fo' 'em, but the men tole me go mind my own business, or git my
haid busted, so I drove on."

"How many men were there?"

"Three men, 'sides de man wot was a-mendin' de busted wheel."

"The doctor and Crabtree and Sobber!" murmured Tom.

"Or Koswell and Larkspur