"My lucky day, boys, and you can't deny it; else why did I meet you again?" he remarked.
CHAPTER XVIII
THE PUZZLE SOLVED
"Going to cross over at Clifford?" asked Ralph, after they were well started.
"The upper bridge will do better. You see the road is much finer on our side of the river. I've been over them all many times, and ought to know," replied Frank.
"Haven't let that zebra drop out of your minds, have you, boys?" asked Lanky.
"Oh! that poor chap isn't going to hug the public roads," remarked Frank, positively, "he knows it would be too dangerous for an escaped prisoner. By this time I guess he's hovering around some other lonely farmhouse, bent on getting some food and a change of clothes. He can't go anywhere with those striped things on."
"Do you know I've somehow got an idea he'll follow the river down," said Ralph.
"If he does he'll hit up with our friend Bill—Bill—oh, the fellow on Rattail Island. I thought I was just going to say it then, but I didn't, not so you could notice it. And Bill has been warned, so he'll be on the watch. Three hundred dollars did they say, Frank? That would be a mighty nice little nest-egg for Bill, and buy him a new evening suit," laughed Lanky.
"Hold your jaw, now, fellows; I'm going to hit her up right here. You'll get the toothache if you talk in this cold wind," remarked Frank, as he gave the speedy car her head over a smooth stretch of road.