“But how could he do that unless he had an automobile or a motorcycle, or something like that?”
“I am sure I can’t answer that question.” Roger turned to the garage man. “Did you know the fellow at all?”
“No, boss; he was a stranger to me.”
“Have you ever seen him before?” asked Dave.
“Oh, I ain’t exactly sure of that, boss—so many men comin’ and goin’ all the time.”
“Let us see if he did any injury to the car,” suggested Roger.
The automobile was run out into the yard of the hotel, and there the young men went over the machine carefully. Nothing seemed to be amiss, and the things in the tonneau had been left undisturbed.
“I guess he didn’t have time enough to do anything,” said Dave. “I think he had been watching this man,” indicating the colored individual, “and as soon as he went into the hotel, the rascal sneaked into the garage intending to get the car out. Maybe he was nothing more than an auto thief who watched us come to the hotel and thought he saw a chance to get away with our car.”
“If he’s an auto thief, I wish I had caught him,” was the comment of the colored man.
“I think I’ll buy a lock for the car,” announced Dave. “I saw an automobile place down the street. We can stop there before we leave town.”