"Aye, aye, that's true enough, but we thought you were keeping tab on somebody and had put on those clothes in order to do it."
Matt laughed.
"You fellows must be locoed!" he exclaimed. "What reason have I to go into the detective business?"
"Ve ditn't know dot," observed Carl, "but ve vas sure dot odder feller vas you. Anyvay, Tick vistled ad him, laidt der ledder on der cotton bale, und ven der feller came for it, den, py shinks, his sigaroot sed der pale afire. Aber he got der ledder, und some feller run avay mit him in a puggy. Der boliceman hat tried to arresdt der feller, aber he slipped glear. Ach, himmelblitzen, vat a pad pitzness!"
"We didn't have a hap'orth o' sense," added Dick gloomily.
By then the little party was close to the air ship. The watchman was within hail, and a few words from him satisfied the policeman.
"Sorry I bothered you, Motor Matt," apologized the officer, "but you're a dead ringer for that other chap—which is more credit to him than it is to you. He's your double, all right, and I hope you get back your letter."
The policeman went one way, the watchman another, and Matt led his chums to one side, where they could have a little private talk by themselves.
His face was grave as he asked them to begin at the beginning and give him all the facts, once more.