“Who were they?” interrupted Jerry.
“One was Jack Pender,” replied the watchman, and Jerry nodded his head. Well he knew Pender, an unscrupulous crony of Noddy’s, who had, more than once, made trouble for the motor boys.
“And who was the other?” Ned wanted to know.
“He was a stranger,” said Sud. “An old man, with a long white beard, and a peculiar scar on his jaw.”
“What sort of a mark?” inquired Bob.
“It was shaped like the letter L as near as I could make out.”
“What’s that?” cried Jerry. “Like the letter L, you say? And an old man, with a white beard? Yet it’s hardly possible that it can be he——”
“Who?” inquired Bob excitedly.
“The old hermit of Lost Lake,” answered Jerry musingly. “You know, fellows, he had just such a scar; but what would he be doing here, especially in company with Noddy Nixon? No, it can’t be!”
“I don’t know what sort of a man you’re speaking of,” went on Sud, “but this man seemed to know you. He spoke of Bob and Ned, and said he now owed so much to you that he could never repay it. He added that if he could use the airship to rescue the people from the deep valley he would be more than ever in your debt.”