“That’s unfortunate,” the other began, “for we are instructed by Mr. Havens to notify you all to turn back to New York at once.”
“What’s the meaning of that?” demanded Carl.
“Mr. Havens didn’t take me into his confidence to any great extent,” was the reply, “but I understood from what he said that you were no longer needed in this section. Is there any way you can signal to the Louise?”
Now Ben did not believe the man to be speaking the truth. In the first place, Havens would never have sent an entire stranger in the Ann. In the second place, Phillips, one of the murderers, had been seen at liberty in that district that very morning, so the hunt was still on!
The natural result of this reasoning was the belief on the part of the boy that the Ann had been stolen.
“We have no means of reaching the Louise,” Ben replied after studying the matter over for a moment. “In fact Jimmie went away with her without our knowledge or consent. We don’t know where he is.”
While answering in this manner, a third reason for disbelieving the statement of the Japanese, for such the men appeared to be, was that Jimmie had been chased desperately by the machine which they had seen on the coast during the night. The boy drew away suspiciously.
“If you don’t mind,” the Japanese said then, “we’ll loan you gasoline enough to keep you in motion until the tanks can be filled.”
“That’s just what I was about to propose!” exclaimed Ben.
“Where are you going in the Ann?” asked Carl.