“Do you think they would take that car to New York?” demanded Fred. “I thought George said that they had had trouble a year or two ago when a lot of automobiles were stolen and taken down to Lakewood or somewhere along the Jersey shore.”
“That may be true,” said Mr. Sanders. “I have taken a few steps in the matter, but I am going to leave the most of it to the Go Ahead boys. I shall expect you to get some trace of the car before I come out for the week-end. I am compelled to go back to the city to-morrow morning, so I must leave you boys to your own devices.”
“Well,” said George just before the boys sought their rooms, “to-morrow morning we’ll start out and begin our search for that missing automobile.”
The following morning, after the departure of Mr. Sanders, the boys were soon ready for their expedition. That is, all were ready except John, who, for reasons which he did not fully explain, said that he would wait until the following day before he joined in the search for the missing car.
Before the three boys and Uncle Sim took their seats in the automobile Fred drew his elongated friend to one side and pulling his head down until it was on a level with his own whispered to him.
The conversation between the two friends was brief, but when Fred responded to the hail of his comrades and ran to take his seat in the automobile, there was an expression upon his face which indicated that the cause of the failure of John to accompany them was not altogether unknown to him.
In a brief time the car with its inmates disappeared around the bend in the road and John was no longer to be seen.
“I think I’ll go first to Paterson,” explained George, to the two boys, “and then I’ll stop at every garage along the road between there and Newark.”
When they arrived at Paterson they sought the quarters of the chief of police and all three boys entered the room.
George was the spokesman for the party and he briefly explained the loss which had befallen them.