CHAPTER IV.
JOSH DOES HIS LITTLE TRICK.
Meanwhile Josh had carried out the preliminary part of his share in the plot to the best of his ability. Rushing ahead of his chums he had succeeded in concealing his motorcycle amidst the bushes skirting the road, just a little distance beyond the house.
His heart was beating like a triphammer as he turned, once this had been done, to discover whether the men in the pursuing car had come in sight so as to notice what he was doing.
“Everything is lovely, and the goose hangs high!” Josh muttered in apparent glee, when he found that this was not the case.
His two chums had by this time halted at the door of the house, and it even looked as though they might be saying something to some one inside. Of course Josh understood that this was part of the plan intended to deceive the men.
He was already making his way back toward the house, bending low so that no one might see his shoulders above the bushes, which grew in profusion just there, as if on purpose to further his designs.
Then came the rapid pulsations of the engines, as Rod and Hanky Panky got going again. The car must be in sight, coming swinging along, with both men keenly observant of all that was taking place.
Still Josh continued to creep forward. He wished to be as close to the building as possible when the car stopped, as he felt sure would be the case. Probably the men would not linger long, once they had rushed inside and taken a look around. Not finding him there they would be likely to “tumble to the game,” as Josh put it, and hasten outside again in order to avoid any backset to their pursuit of the shrewd American motorcycle boys.
When the car did stop Josh was only a dozen paces away. The friendly bushes allowed him to lie there unseen, while at the same time he could catch glimpses of those in whom he had such great interest.
“Shucks! I do believe the chauffeur is meaning to stick by the car,” he whispered to himself indignantly, only to hastily add in a gratified way: “No he isn’t either, for there he jumps out after Jules, who is already bolting inside. Now’s my chance, if ever I expect to get one! Here goes, then!”