With so much to occupy their thoughts and tongues, Dave and Phil found train time and their meeting with the detective at the station at hand without one dull minute having passed. And though they had discussed the evident ability and the possible plans of Robert Rack from all angles, they were no nearer a conclusion as to what he meant to do than they were to guessing how Jones and Worth had recovered the Big Six—a question they were pleasantly impatient to have answered.
Not by word or look did Bob Rack reveal one whit of what he had found during the day to the pair of his youthful admirers, who had a seat opposite him, while the train bore rapidly on toward Griffin. When he talked about the case at all it was only to ask a few questions—some of them far removed from the problem in hand, the boys thought. For instance when he desired to know whether there was plenty of lighting gas in the tank of the Torpedo, both were puzzled, though they answered that there was.
“We were extremely fortunate in getting away to-night. Every hour counts now,” said Mr. Rack, “but as I have some papers to look over I’ll get at them.”
Swiftly through the summer night the train sped on. The detective seemed to be occupied with nothing more important than some road maps, but his companions did not venture to interrupt him and in their own conversation spoke in low tones. The distance seemed very great, somehow, to the impatient boys. But at last——
“Here we are!” said Robert Rack, even before Phil or Dave were aware of it, and a moment later the lights of Griffin came into view.
I shall not undertake to tell in detail of the conflicting emotions with which Billy and Paul greeted their friends and with which they all, Mr. Rack included, gathered beside the Big Six while Worth quickly told of the escape of Coster and the Torpedo’s disappearance.
“A little faster than I expected,” mused the detective, in that same easy, gentle tone. Apparently he was no more disturbed than if Billy had said it looked like rain, which, in fact, was the case.
“But this man in jail—we didn’t tell you anything about him, Mr. Rack. We didn’t know it ourselves,” Phil spoke up anxiously. For it will be remembered that Chief Fobes’ prisoner had not appeared in the situation at all at the time Way and MacLester left Griffin. “Or did you know without our telling you?” Phil added, his own mind in a whirl of confused thoughts.
“Oh, I have not been idle to-day,” smiled Detective Bob. Then more seriously, but still in his affable, pleasing way, quite as though he were planning a little outing, he continued, “Now I’ll need some help. The best driver take the wheel. I’ll sit beside him. The rest of you ride behind and if I may ask so much, no one will leave the car except as I may request it.”
Immediately Phil nodded to Dave to take the driver’s place. In an instant Bob Rack was in the seat beside him, the others in the tonneau.