"That's my idea," said Dick, as they neared the garage, having seen no further signs of the three men.
They found the big car undisturbed, with Grit ready to give them a noisy welcome.
"I wish we'd had you along a while ago, old fellow," remarked Dick, as he patted his dog. "I guess those fellows wouldn't have been quite so fresh. But maybe it's just as well as it is, for I wouldn't want any of them chewed up."
"How do you figure it out?" asked Paul, as they got themselves a little lunch before turning in.
"Why, Uncle Ezra, or whoever he's hired to turn this trick, knew where we would be at a certain day, I suppose," said Dick. "The men were on the watch, and, when we arrived, they just kept tabs on us. The rest was easy enough."
"Only you didn't happen to carry the papers with you," added Innis.
"No, it was a good trick to leave 'em here," assented our hero, as he looked in the advertising envelope behind the mirror, to make sure that the documents were safe. "Well, they won't try it on again in a hurry. In the morning we'll figure out a new route that will bring us to 'Frisco in time to file the papers."
It was no very difficult task, with their road maps, to do this, and having seen the garage man start on the work of repairing the brakes, Dick and his chums strolled into town. They managed to find some points of interest, and also took in the ball game, and, though the repairs took three days, instead of two, they did not regret their little stop-over.
"We've got plenty of time," said Dick, "and from now on we'll shift about on our route. I'm anxious to get out in the West."
"So am I!" added Paul.