Rod no longer entertained any doubts concerning the identity of those who occupied the red racing car. One of them he felt positive must be Jules Baggott, the unscrupulous cousin of Andre, who would profit if the soldier should never live to sign the papers which were mentioned in the will of the dead uncle.
By this time Rod had his fighting blood up. Opposition always made him the more determined to accomplish his ends, when his heart was back of the undertaking.
His active mind quickly grasped the situation, and a cleverly arranged plan was formed that gave promise of success.
“Josh, can you hear me?” he called out, not daring to look back now because at the time they were negotiating several sharp turns, and his attention was required at the front.
“Easy thing!” sang out the one just behind him.
“How about you, Hanky?” continued the leader.
“I get you O. K., Rod; let her go!” came the reply in a roar.
“If we can only coax them to leave their car for a short time,” explained Rod, “Josh might disable it in some way, so the pursuit would come to an end!”
“A bully scheme, Rod, and don’t you forget that you said Josh was going to be Johnny on the spot!” the party in question bellowed exultantly.
“There’s a big house ahead of us,” continued Rod, “for I’ve had several glimpses of the same, and we’ll strike it shortly. I don’t know why I think we’ll find it deserted, but it has that look to me. One end seems to have been burned out. Well, that might be the place we’re looking for, to give our pursuers the slip.”