"My legs are so cramped I don't think I'll ever be able to walk straight again."
Joe had inadvertently raised his voice. Suddenly Frank gripped his arm.
"Shh!"
They listened. They heard footsteps coming along the road. The steps sounded clear and distinct on the hard highway. Then they became soft and muffled as the pedestrian turned out onto the grassy slope.
"Coming this way," whispered Frank.
Some one approached the roadster cautiously. The boys could hear him moving around the car. After a moment or so, one of the doors was opened and some one clambered into the seat.
The boys were breathless with excitement. Was this one of the auto thieves?
But the intruder made no move to drive the car away. Instead, when he had snapped the lights on and off, he got out, closed the door behind him and strode off through the grass.
The first impulse of the two brothers was to clamber out, but they realized that this would be folly. They remained quiet, as the footsteps receded into the distance. The man gained the road again and walked slowly away. Finally, they heard the footsteps no more.
Frank sighed with disappointment.