that is not so easy in the darkness."

Dick slowed down the motor as they drew closer to the town, which was
composed of several streets of stores, half a dozen churches, some
schools, and a hundred or more houses. He made a circle, and then,
seeing a level field back of some of the houses, headed for it, and shut
off the engine. They landed without anybody seeing them do it.

"Tom, I think you had better watch the machine, while Sam and I make
some inquiries," said Dick, as he alighted.

"Oh, don't you think I had better go too?" asked Tom anxiously.

"We can't leave the _Dartaway_ alone."

At that moment a man came out of the darkness, attracted by the voices.
He was surprised to see the biplane. He told the lads that his house was
close by and wanted to know what they were doing.

"We are on the trail of a big, enclosed touring car that came this way,"
answered Dick. "Did you see anything of it?"

"Say, that must be the machine Jim Hickey told about!" cried the man.
"Jim said it went tearin' through like mad, about half an hour ago."

"Which way was it headed?" asked Tom, eagerly.

"I don't know--I didn't ask. Jim could tell you."

"Where is he?"

"Jim? Why he keeps the barber shop, down on the corner of Main Street
and Lumber Alley."

"Do you know if he is at his barber shop now?" asked Dick.

"He must be--he was going there when he saw the auto."

The boys waited no longer, but asking the man to look after the
_Dartaway_ during their absence, they hurried to the main street of the
town and then to the barber shop in question. Jim Hickey was busy
shaving a customer but he was willing to suspend operations long enough
to answer the Rover boys.

"Did I see the car?" he cried. "If I hadn't I'd be a dead man this
minit!" he cried. "She was going some, she was!"

"Which way did the car go?" asked all the boys.

"Down Main Street to the bridge and then turned around the church
corner."

"Where does that road lead to?" asked Tom.

"Leads to Plankville and Bulltown."

"Yes, but they can't git through on that road," put in the customer,
wiping the lather from around his mouth so he could talk. "The bridge is
shut off--they're fixin' it--went at the work this morning."

"You are sure about that?" queried Dick, eagerly.

"Sure, I saw 'em takin' up the plankin' of the bridge. They will have to
come back."

"How far is that bridge from here?"

"About three miles."

"Is there any other side road?"