and had just the same heavy and humorous look as Bryce
himself. It stood out from the other cars like a hunch-back amongst a
line of athletes.

"That's my car," said Bryce proudly. "She's not much to look at, but
she's just the sweetest runner you've seen."

I nodded. I was quite open to conviction.

CHAPTER II.

AN OLD FRIEND.

Hitherto events had moved so swiftly that I hadn't had time to look
calmly at the situation, but once we settled down in the car and Barwon
Heads dropped into the dust behind us, I began to think rather
seriously. It was perfectly obvious, even to a more clouded intelligence
than mine, that there was something mysterious, if not shady, about my
prospective employer. Despite his assurance that the law was on his
side, I had grave doubts. If everything was perfectly square and above
board why the deuce didn't he report the affair to the police and give
them the task of looking after him, instead of hiring me at an
exorbitant wage? He seemed anxious to fight shy of publicity in any
shape or form and, though he had been very cordial, even familiar with
me, his very apparent frankness and joviality had awakened my
suspicions. There was something fishy going on, and that something,
whatever it was, centred round the piece of wood that I had so casually
kicked out of the sand. It struck me all of a heap that nothing had
really begun to happen until I had unearthed it. As soon as Bryce had
seen where I was sitting, he had started to run inshore, the other man
had stationed himself behind the rocks, the curtain had been rung up and
the play had begun. Now the question was what part did the piece of wood
play in the game? Bryce, I felt sure, could clear the mystery up with a
word, but I was certain that it would be long before he would say that
word.

The car was all and more than he had said. It had speed, it was
comfortable, and its mechanism was far less complicated than any I had
yet seen. We ate up distance in fine style. Bryce seemed to have no
nerves at all, for more than once he tore round corners on two wheels
while I clung to the side of the car and swore at him. He grinned
cheerfully over his shoulder at me and asked me if I were nervous.

I laughed back at him with as much _sang-froid_ as I could muster. I had
no objection to risking my life once in a while when there was good pay
at the end of it, but I couldn't see the sense of tempting Providence
just for the sheer fun of t