“But you say he was a very skillful driver?”
“Yes, sir,” spoke up John promptly. “I never saw a man that could handle a car better.”
“I think we must look into this more fully,” said Mr. Sanders, “but it may be that he is the one who may know more about the loss of our car than we think and I’m sure he could explain a part at least of the origin of the fire at the old Meeker House.”
“Do you think he set it on fire?” demanded Fred.
“Probably not, at least intentionally,” replied Mr. Sanders, “but it may be that he was the one who had the flash-light and he may have set fire to the old building without intending to do so.”
“Well,” spoke up John, “I’m sorry we shan’t ever find out about that tooting of the automobile horn that we heard in the old building and the flash that we saw. Why, the fire seemed to be all over the building at once and then die out in every room just as quickly as it came.”
“I think we shall know more about it,” said Mr. Sanders quietly. “Meanwhile the best thing for us to do is not to do anything to-night.”
After the arrival of the boys at George’s home the excitement still continued and for two hours the boys remained on the piazza talking over the experiences of the night. Much of the mystery of the old house was still unexplained.
“Well, all I can say is,” declared Fred, as the boys at last arose to go to their rooms, “that if the old cowboys and skinners came back to the old Meeker House to carry on their pranks they’ll have to seek other quarters now.”
“I think you will find that your cowboys and skinners are pretty well up to date,” laughed Mr. Sanders. “And you’ll find too that they are clothed in very substantial flesh. I have been suspicious for a long time that the tramps were using the old house for a sort of headquarters, but I was not sure of it until you told me the story of the man with whom you had had some dealings. We’ll all go over there the first thing to-morrow morning and perhaps we shall find some things that will help us to make the others clear.”