“But it won’t be long before I capture that fellow,” he assured the boys. They managed to keep their faces straight and only hoped that they were not now on a wild-goose chase.
Twenty minutes later Smuff pulled into the town of Ducksworth and drove straight to a used-car lot. Stopping, he announced, “Well, here we are. Get ready to fork over that money, Chet.”
Smuff nodded to the attendant in charge, then led the boys down a long aisle past row after row of cars to where several jalopies were lined up against a rear fence. Turning left, the detective finally paused before a bright red car.
“Here you are!” said Smuff grandly, extending his right hand toward Chet. “My money, please.”
The stout boy as well as the Hardys stared at the jalopy. There was no question but that it was the same make and model as Chet’s.
“The thief thought he could disguise it by painting it red,” Smuff explained.
“Is that your guess?” Frank asked quietly.
Oscar Smuff frowned. “How else could you figure it?” he asked.
“Then there’ll be yellow paint under the red,” Frank went on. “Let’s take a look to make sure.”
It was evident that Smuff did not like this procedure. “So you doubt me, eh?” he asked in an unpleasant tone.