"Sorry for you, Bess!" cried the lad, "but you're the first victim to be offered up."
"Oh, well, it's too hot to go chasing all over dusty country roads," declared Bess bravely, although she would dearly have loved to go on the adventurous search for the missing aëroplane.
One after another they were counted out till only Roy, Peggy and Jimsy remained.
"Hurry up and let's get off," urged Jimsy as the "elimination trials," as they might be termed, were concluded.
"Very well. We'll get the car—it's in the garage at the hotel—and incidentally, we might get a lunch put up also. It may be a long chase."
The officer regarded them with frank amazement.
"My! but you city folks rush things," he exclaimed.
"I suppose they'll get busy on this case day after to-morrow," exclaimed Roy disgustedly, as they hastened away.
It was half an hour later that the big touring car, with Roy at the wheel, rolled out of the hotel yard. Jake had been told off to guard the livery stable and the aëroplanes while the rest remained with Miss Prescott, who was seriously agitated at the accumulation of troubles her party had met with since setting out.
"I declare," she said, "I wish I was back at home where I could get a decent cup of tea and be free of worries."