oo, I noticed that they had th' window shades down."

"That's suspicious!" exclaimed Tom. "I believe they are the fellows we
re after," and, without giving any particulars he said that they were
looking for a friend who might have been taken away against his will.

"Could you tell where they were going?" asked Tom, scarcely hoping to
get an affirmative answer.

"Wa'al, th' man on th' seat pulled up when he see me," spoke the farmer
with exasperating slowness, "an' asked me how far it was t' th'
Waterville station, an' I told him."

"Why didn't you say so at first?" asked Tom quickly. "Why didn't you
tell us they were heading for the railroad?"

"You didn't ask me," replied the farmer. "What difference does it make."

"Every minute counts!" exclaimed the young inventor. "We want to keep
right after those fellows. Maybe the agent can tell us where they
bought tickets to, and we can trace them that way.

"Shouldn't wonder," commented the farmer. "There ain't many trains out
from Waterville at that time of day, an' mighty few passengers.
Shouldn't wonder but Jake Applesauer could put ye on th' trail."

"Much obliged," called Tom. "Come on, Ned," and he started back in the
direction of the house where the kidnapping had taken place.

"That ain't th' way t' 'vaterville!" the farmer shouted after them.

"I know it, we're going to get our airship," answered Tom, and then he
heard the farmer mutter.

"Plumb crazy! That's what they be! Plumb crazy! Going after their
airship! Shouldn't wonder but they was escaped lunatics, and the other
fellers was keepers after 'em. Hu! Wa'al, I've got my work to do.
'Tain't none of my affair."

"Let him think what he likes," commented Ned as he and his chum hurried
on. "We're on the trail all right."

If Jake Applesauer, the agent at the Waterville station, was surprised
at seeing two youths drop down out of an aeroplane, and begin
questioning him about some suspicious strangers that had taken the
morning train, he did not show it. Jake prided himself on not being
surprised at anything, except once when he took a counterfeit dollar in
return for a ticket, and had to make it good to the company.

But, to the despair of Tom and Ned, he could not help them much. He had
seen the party, of course. They had driven up in the hack, and one of
the men seemed to be sick, or hurt, for his head was done up in
bandages, and the others had to half carry him on the train.

"That was Mr. Petrof