“Confound ’em—they had on handkerchiefs that covered their faces, so I could hardly tell. I didn’t get more’n a glimpse or two along at first. Then they pulled something over my head after gagging me so tight it hurt. My mouth is sore now.” Billy dubiously fingered the corners of his mouth. “One thing I’m sure of. One of the men we saw at Feeney’s had on a visored gray cap and gray clothes. The other wore something darker. I feel sure the gray-clad man was one of ’em. Of course I never got half a glimpse of their faces.”
“Recognize these handkerchiefs?” asked Phil, showing the ones used in binding and gagging. “Two of ’em are bandanas: the others of a soiled, nondescript variety that might have belonged to tramps of any sort.”
By this time Billy was more himself, being pretty well recovered from his recent manhandling. He was the first to think again of the Big Six.
“I’m all right now, fellows. Let’s see what went with the car. They stopped with me some distance from this old rookery. Gosh! If it wasn’t for the car, I’d like to take a look around!”
But, like Worth, whom they were most glad to have with them again, all hated to feel that the pride of their hearts, their new car, was gone. But where?
At this juncture they were joined by MacLester, who after greeting Billy very effusively for one who had seen him just two hours before, turned to the others, interrupting Worth’s brief recital of what had happened to him.
“Boys,” Dave began, “I followed those tracks about thirty yards or so; then they turned towards the railroad; right through the woods, too. Rough going for a car like ours. I bet she’s all scratched up by now, if nothing worse happens to her.”
“Did you go any further, Dave?” This from Paul eagerly.
“Why, yes! Presently the car struck another old trail that led towards the road, and I picked up this.”
Mac held out the visored cap Worth had mentioned to Paul and Phil. At sight of it Billy grabbed it and turned it over in his hands as he said: