dded anxiously.

"Maybe," said Mr. Swiper.

"Gee, you'll _have_ to take it," said Pee-wee; "our scoutmaster will
make you."

Before entering the building, Mr. Swiper made an inspection of the
lonely neighborhood, and looked out across the still, dark lake.

"That's where they went?" he asked.

"Sure, they won't see us," Pee-wee said reassuringly.

But the manual training teacher was not going to take any chances with
a crew of ruffians--not he.

"Even if they should see us or hear us," Pee-wee encouraged, "they
wouldn't dare come after it, because it isn't theirs. They thought
nobody would ever find it in here. It's good I was on the inside, hey?"

"That's the place to be," said Mr. Swiper.

"You bet it is," said Pee-wee. "Were you ever locked in a place?"

To this purely personal question, Mr. Swiper made no reply; Instead he
walked about the car thoughtfully, then climbed into the front seat and
turned on the dash-light. He seemed to know what he was doing. Pee-wee
did not wait but excitedly climbed in beside him.

"Gee whiz, a feller's got to have nerve to steal a car, hasn't he?" he
asked, unable in his elation to keep still.

"That's what," said Mr. Swiper briefly.

"It--it kind of--sort of--makes us feel like thieves, taking it,"
Pee-wee commented, looking about him rather fearfully, "but anyway we've
got a right to, that's one sure thing.... Haven't we?"

"Sure."

"And it's all right, that's one sure thing. Oh boy, I'm glad I met you
and you'll get as much credit as I do, that's sure. Anyway, we've got a
right to take it away from the thieves, I hope. Gee, nobody can deny
that. Anyway, I guess _you_ don't feel scary."

"Guess they won't follow us," said Mr. Swiper. "Not if they know what's
well for them. Thieves don't come after you, they run away from you."

"You bet they do," said Pee-wee, delighted at his new friend's rather
generous contribution to the talk.

The engine now purred softly, the silent shifting into reverse gear told
the young rescuer that a practiced hand was at the wheel. Slowly the big
car backed out of the building and around till it headed into the dark
over-grown road.

"You didn't put the lights on," Pee-wee said.

"Time enough for that," said his companion, who seemed quite accustomed
to driving in the dark.

Presently the big super six Hunkajunk touring model was rolling silently
along through the woods, rescued, saved! Soon to be restored to its
rightful owne