"Did you have Brady?" demanded the third member of the party.
"Vell, oof it ain'd Harris!" murmured Carl. "Vere dit you come from?"
Harris had no time, just then, for useless talk.
"Yes," said Matt, "we had Brady. He was a prisoner in the air ship, and he loosened his ropes and made a break for his freedom. I'm all at sea and can't make head or tail of it."
"If he's in this town," proceeded Harris, "he can be captured, but we'll have to call on the police authorities here. However, now that Brady's got away, that can wait a few minutes. Tell me all about how you found him."
Matt went over the event of Brady's capture at some length, telling briefly what Brady had told him and how he and his chums had come to bring the Hawk to the vacant lot near Hooligan's.
It was the first chance since Matt had found Harris in the house that the two had had to talk. Harris, as might be supposed, was amazed.
"A queer move for Brady to make," muttered the officer. "A big change must have come over him since he went to the 'pen.' The last thing he said to me, when he started for Joliet, was that he'd get even with Motor Matt if it was the last thing he ever did. Either he's playing some deep game, or else he's experienced a remarkable change of heart."
"It's a deep game he's playing, I guess," said Matt ruefully. "If not, why did he try to get away?"