“Oh, we’ll get help if we have to,” said Jack. “Come on.”
For some distance it was comparatively easy to follow the automobile track by means of the prominent impression left by the patch on the tire.
“But if you can tell whether it’s going to town or coming from there, it is more than I can,” asserted Paul, “and I know something about autos.”
“Of course, I’m not sure of that part of it,” Jack admitted. “But we have to go to town anyhow, and it won’t be any harm to go by this road, on the chance of seeing Cora’s car; will it?”
“No,” agreed Walter. “Perhaps we can kill two birds with one stone that way, as well as any other.”
But the hopes of the boys were doomed to disappointment, at least in respect to getting further trace of Cora’s car, provided the tire marks were made by hers. At least it was a temporary setback. For after about half a mile there came a patch of hard oily road, in which the impression of the big Z was lost. And when next a dusty stretch was encountered, there were so many marks of automobile tires that it was impossible to distinguish any particular one.
“Baffled!” exclaimed Walter, semi-dramatically, after a back-aching inspection of the road.
“Only for a time,” added Jack, cheerfully. “After we telephone we’ll take the trail of the marks, going in the other direction. That will be back toward the cave, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there were some connection between the cave, the passage under the bungalow and the men in Cora’s car.”
“Some cute little detective you’re getting to be,” laughed Paul. “Well, it may be that you’re right. Go on.”
A little later the boys reached the village, and, after executing some commissions for the girls, including the purchase for Bess of a box of chocolates, they found a long distance telephone in a drug store where there was a booth to insure privacy.