“Only what?”
“Nothing,” Judy replied shortly.
Diethelm reached across, snapping a lock on the door of the coupe. The gesture seemed careless enough. Yet, why should he have reason to lock the automobile? Judy, suddenly uneasy, glanced at Kathleen and saw that her chum looked frightened.
“So your aunt is telephoning the state highway patrol station?” the ranger remarked easily. “How long ago was that?”
“Five—maybe ten minutes ago,” Judy answered. She was trying hard to smother the suspicion which had formed in her mind.
“Your aunt went to the cottage to phone?”
“Yes.” Judy hesitated and then said earnestly: “Won’t you please call ranger headquarters now on your radio telephone? It’s important to get help fast. Aunt Mattie may have failed to get her call through.”
Diethelm smiled and flipped a switch on the radio. He fumbled with it as he drove efficiently with one hand.
“Car 23 to Headquarters. Car 23 to Headquarters,” he called.
“Go ahead, Diethelm,” came the order from headquarters.