"It's gone!" he panted.
Matt whirled on him in consternation.
"What, the head of Obboney?" he asked.
"Nothing else, old ship! It's not where we saw it and it isn't anywhere in the court. The negro woman at the door says that a man answering Jurgens' description rushed into the house and out again. He had something when he went out, but she couldn't see what it was. I'll bet it was that idol's head, mate!"
"It must have been!" exclaimed Matt. "Perhaps a little reason returned to Jurgens and he came back after the head. Did he seem to be crazy, or in any manner off his balance?"
"The woman says he looked wild, didn't say a word and went like a streak."
"Well," said Matt, regretfully, "we've been beaten out, after all. What we've got to do now is to find Carl."
"Where'll we look for him? We can go cruising around, but this is a big town and, if Carl is off his bearings, there's no telling where he'll go."
"If he's very much off his bearings, the police will pick him up. And the same with Jurgens. But——"