“A thousand yards!” Willie fairly shrieked. “You call that a hike?”
“And why did you tell us to bring spades?” War asked. “What’s up, anyhow?”
“We’re going to do a little digging,” Jack said with a grin. “Come on, let’s get at it.”
He and Ken guided the other three through the cemetery to the barrier fence adjoining the automobile plant.
“X marks the spot,” Ken chuckled, indicating the area he and Jack had investigated the previous night. “Dig, slaves!”
“What’s this all about?” Willie probed. “Why all the mystery?”
“Yeah, and what are we expected to bring up? Oil?” demanded War. “Not a spadeful will I turn over until you tell us what we’re supposed to find.”
With a laugh, Jack related the manner in which he and Ken had followed the mysterious stranger on the previous night.
“Oh, so it’s that fellow in the old car!” War scoffed. “You’ve been talking about him for a month, Jack. So finally you make something of it!”
“Jack may have been smarter than the rest of us,” Ken said soberly. “After watching that bird last night, we’re convinced something has been buried here.”