Henri leaped aside, and the guard of the other auto just shaved him. The two vehicles escaped each other by a narrow margin. Only Mr. Armitage kept his head. He leaped up with a shout, and held the lantern which had been turned low again, so that its light fell upon the passing car.
It was painted maroon.
“There they go!” yelled Polk.
They saw the three men in the car—the small man at the wheel and the two in the tonneau.
One of these latter stood up, and something glittered in his hand. But no shot was fired.
But Dan Speedwell was seriously troubled. Where was Billy?
For a moment the older boy forgot what he was doing, and he sprang to his feet, too.
“Billy!” he shouted, his voice sounding high and shrill above the sudden puffing of the car he was in. Henri had grabbed the crank at once and turned over the flywheel.
The fugitive car was already gathering speed again; but something white fluttered from the back of the racing automobile.
“I saw him, Dan!” cried Mr. Armitage. “He’s lying there in the slack of the canopy. I don’t believe the scoundrels know they are being spied upon.”