Part 19 (1/2)

”Then you don't think we're going to get back to Crumville to-day?”

questioned Ben.

”No-sir. Why, if we was to try it we'd suah git stuck befo' we got out ob dis town. Some ob de drifts is right to de top of de fust story ob de houses.” Was.h.i.+ngton Bones looked questioningly at Dave. ”How did you like your trip outside las' night?” he queried. ”Must ha' been some walkin', t'rough sech deep snow.”

”My trip outside?” questioned Dave, with a puzzled look. ”What do you mean, Wash? I didn't go out last night.”

”You didn't!” exclaimed the colored driver in wonder. ”Didn't I see you leavin' de hotel las' night 'bout half pas' 'levin or a little later?”

”You certainly did not. I was in bed and sound asleep by half past eleven,” answered Dave.

”Well now, don't dat beat all!” cried the colored man, his eyes rolling in wonder. ”I went outside jest to take a las' look aroun'

befo' turning in, and I seen a young fellow and a man leavin' de hotel. Dey come right pas' where a lantern was hung up on the porch, and when dat light struck on de young fellow's face I thought suah as you're bo'n it was you. Why, he looked like you, and he had on de same kind of cap and overcoat dat you was a-wearin' yeste'day. I see you've got on something different to-day.”

”A fellow who looked like me and who had on my cap and my overcoat!”

e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Dave. He turned to his chums. ”What do you make of that?”

”Maybe it was Ward Porton!” cried Roger.

”If it was, he must have run away and taken Dave's cap and overcoat with him,” added Ben.

CHAPTER XIV

MOVEMENTS OF THE ENEMY

As my readers doubtless surmise, it was Ward Porton who had made off with Dave's overcoat and cap.

Leaving the room which they occupied on the third floor locked, the young moving-picture actor and his disreputable companion had stolen down the two flights of stairs leading to the lower hallway.

Fortunately for them, no one had been present, and it had been comparatively easy for Porton to find Dave's things and put them on.

Tim c.r.a.psey already wore his own overcoat and hat.

”We might as well provide ourselves with rubbers while we are at it,”

remarked c.r.a.psey, as his gaze fell upon a number of such footwear resting near the rack, and thereupon each donned a pair of rubbers that fitted him.

Thus equipped they had stolen out of the hotel through a side hallway without any one in the building being aware of their departure.

”We're going to have a fight of it to get to the railroad station,”

muttered Ward Porton, as the fury of the storm struck both of them.

”It's lucky I know the way,” croaked Tim c.r.a.psey. And then, as they pa.s.sed over the porch in the light of the lantern by which Was.h.i.+ngton Bones had seen Porton, the man went on: ”Say, what's the matter with us stoppin' at some drinkin' place and gittin' a little liquor?”

”Not now,” interposed his companion, hastily. ”We want to make our get-away without being seen if we possibly can.”

”Oh, n.o.body will know us,” grumbled c.r.a.psey, who had a great fondness for liquor, ”and the stuff may prove a life-saver if we git stuck some place in the snow.”

The realization that they might become s...o...b..und on the way to Pepsico made Porton pause, and in the end he agreed to visit a drinking place several blocks away, which, by the light s.h.i.+ning dimly through the window, they could see was still open.