Bill winked at Uncle Abe.
“And if that nocount Dixon family don’t treat you right, you come right across the road to my house.”
“Spect I’ll git ’long tollerbul well on Miss Dor’thy’s side,” he chuckled.
“Well, what’s the good word now, Dorothy?” Bill motioned toward the Buick. “It’s about time we beat it over to Stoker’s, don’t you think?”
“I do think,” returned Dorothy. “And that’s why we aren’t going over there.”
“But surely—”
“But nothing. The boys aren’t there or they’d have answered the phone. If you hadn’t heard the bell ring we could be fairly sure the wire was cut and that they were holding the house in a state of siege, so to speak. Now we know they aren’t there.” Bill did not seem impressed.
“If that line of reasoning is logical, I’m as cold on the right answer as a water tank in winter. How do you know Joyce’s men haven’t got them tied up in the house?”
“Because at this stage of the game, Joyce would hardly do that and leave them there for their friends to find. And if his men were still in the house, they’d be sure to answer the telephone. You and Uncle Abe get right into that Buick now. We are going to take a run up to Mr. John J. Joyce’s place.”
Bill did not attempt to hide his astonishment.