Part 3 (1/2)

”They've slowed down some themselves, Rod!” cried Hanky Panky, as he stood ”at attention,” ready to juave the word, so as to continue the ht

The red car had coht

For a distance of at least two ht as a yard stick; so that the men could readily see that the third ht; it's time ere off!” cried Rod presently

The car had covered half the distance between the bend and the deserted house, and they could plainly see the h eagerly scrutinizing the, and was trying to puzzle it out

Suddenly the popping of the exhausts announced that the twointo the saddle and away they went down the dusty road As they were in plain sight theAnd it would behad happened to his e in the abandoned house, while his coht

What then?

Would theJules stop, and with his assistant rush into the house to look for theboy? Much depended on his actions, for if the chauffeur reht be utterly unable to accoh hopes He could figure that Jules would want to make sure the third American boy did not have the paper on his person, before speeding after the tho pursuit

As their pace was now less swift Rod was able to turn again and again and look backward Hanky Panky was doing the sah his ly careful not to land in the ditch alongside the fine road

It was a moment of considerable suspense to both boys They saw the car approach the house, and noted with an to look as though the bait had taken, and Julesfor those in the bush

”Rod, they're stopping, as sure as you live!” yelled Hanky Panky in great excitement just then

”Yes, and there they both jump out; steady, Hanky, don't lose your head!” warned the leader, noticing how the other's machine wavered

CHAPTER IV

JOSH DOES HIS LITTLE TRICK

Meanwhile Josh had carried out the preliminary part of his share in the plot to the best of his ability Rushi+ng ahead of his chu histhe road, just a little distance beyond the house

His heart was beating like a triphammer as he turned, once this had been done, to discover whether the ht so as to notice what he was doing

”Everything is lovely, and the goose hangs high!” Josh lee, when he found that this was not the case

His two chums had by this time halted at the door of the house, and it even looked as though theyto some one inside

Of course Josh understood that this was part of the plan intended to deceive thehis way back toward the house, bending low so that no one rew in profusion just there, as if on purpose to further his designs

Then caines, as Rod and Hanky Panky got going again The car , with bothplace

Still Josh continued to creep forward He wished to be as close to the building as possible when the car stopped, as he felt sure would be the case Probably the , once they had rushed inside and taken a look around Not finding hiaain in order to avoid any backset to their pursuit of the shrewd American motorcycle boys