it," commented Ned. "This was some
of the gang's work," he went on to Mr. Damon. "They hoped to get
possession of Tom's tank long enough to find out some of the secrets.
By having the Liberty Bonds, I fooled 'em."

"That's what you did!" said Mr. Damon. "But what can we do now?"

"I don't know," Ned was forced to admit. "But I should think we'd
better go back to the last place where he was seen to pass in his auto,
and try to get on his trail."

Mr. Damon agreed that this was a wise plan, and, after a casual look
around the farmhouse and other buildings on Kanker's place and finding
nothing to arouse their suspicions, the two left in Ned's speedy little
machine.

"It is mighty queer!" remarked the young bank clerk, as they shot along
the country road. "It isn't like Tom to get caught this way."

"Maybe he isn't caught," suggested the other. "Tom has been in many a
tight place and gotten out, as you and I well know. Maybe it will be
the same now, though it does look suspicious, that fake message coming
from you."

"Not coming from me, you mean," corrected Ned. "Well, we'll do the best
we can."

They proceeded back to where they had last had a trace of Tom in his
machine, and there could only confirm what they had learned at first,
namely, that the young inventor had departed in the direction of the
Kanker farm, after having filled his radiator with water, and chatting
with a farmer he knew.

"Then this is where the trail divides," said Ned, as they went back
over the road, coming to a point where the highway branched off. "If he
went this way, he went to Kanker's place, or he would be in the way of
going. He isn't there, it seems, and didn't go there."

"If he took the other road, where would he go?" asked Mr. Damon.

"Any one of a dozen places. I guess we'll have to follow the trail and
make all the inquiries we can."

But from the point where the two roads branched, all trace of Tom Swift
was lost. No one had seen him in his machine, though he was known to
more than one resident along the high way.

"Well, what are we going to do?" asked Mr. Damon, after they had
traveled some distance and had obtained no news.

"Suppose we call up his home," suggested Ned, as they came to a country
store where there was a telephone. "It may be he has returned. In that
case, all our worry has gone for nothing."

"I don't believe it has," said Mr. Damon. "But if we call up and ask if
Tom is back it will show we have