"Fine and dandy, sir," was the reply.
"Of course connected with the advance member of our immortal six?" Elmer continued.
"Sure." Hen forgot to add the term of respect now, for he was burning with impatience to disclose his knowledge.
"Where from?" asked the scout leader.
"Rockledge, which is, I find, about thirty-two miles from Hickory Ridge by the route marked out," answered Hen.
"That's right," muttered Toby, who had the map in his mind pretty accurately, because he and Nat had often scoured the country when their machines were newer and acted more decently.
"What was the report, Number Eight?" Elmer asked.
"One of our boys had just registered there. He was nearly half an hour ahead of the next contestant; though that one appeared to be Felix Wagner, the smart second baseman of the Fairfield nine!"
Elmer looked sober. He realized that the conditions seemed to be peculiarly fitted for the carrying out of the scheme which those four Fairfield plotters had arranged, and started up the road some time before to execute, if it was necessary, in order to help their man win.
A Hickory Ridge scout half an hour ahead of the fleetest of the rival organization! That would mean a Fairfield victory, providing the present leader could in some way be disqualified.