"Did you see him?" asked James.
"No—no—no. But who else could have stolen them?"
"I," said Mike, drawing himself up to his five feet five and throwing back his pudgy shoulders, "I am a tramp. I trust, sir, you meant no insult to me profession?"
The stranger waved the question aside. "Get me some clothes and I'll give you some money."
"What money?" asked James.
"I will send you some. I am rich. My car is in the road. Maybe you saw it. I was coming through the woods to the hotel to get a tow up, for I was out of gasolene, when I saw the lake. It was early and I thought I would take a swim. Maybe you saw my car by the side of the road?"
"I didn't see no car," said Mike.
"Did you come by the road?"
"Yes, a narrow wood road."
"Yes, yes; that's where I left it. The damned thief has probably gone off with my car, too."