Part 10 (1/2)
”Wouldn't you young gentlemen like to take a nice ride this afternoon?”
he asked, in a business-like tone. ”A fifty-mile ride in our new observation touring-car, visiting all the points of interest around the lake, and taking in Creswood, Lighton, and Tomkins' Mill--a two-hours'
ride for one dollar.” And he held up a handful of tickets.
”We don't want any ride,” answered Dave.
”We have our own touring-car,” added Roger, pointing to the car.
”Oh, I see, all right,” said the man, and pa.s.sed on, to hunt for customers elsewhere.
When the man had started to speak his voice had carried into the reading-room, and much surprised to think others were so near, both Haskers and Merwell had gotten up from the couch to glance out of the window.
”Well, I never!” gasped Merwell.
”They must have followed me after all!” groaned Job Haskers.
The youth who had been mixed up in the robbery of the jewelry works grabbed the former teacher by the arm.
”We can't stay here--at least I can't!” he whispered, hoa.r.s.ely. ”I am going to dust!” And out of the reading-room he glided, and Job Haskers followed him.
”Where shall we go?” asked the former teacher, his shaking voice showing how much he was disturbed.
”I don't know--but I won't stay here,” returned Merwell. ”Have you much baggage? I have only a Gladstone bag.”
”I have a suit-case, that is all.”
”Then let us pack up and get out by the back way. We can pay our bills later. Come on, there is no time to spare!”
CHAPTER VII
A GATHERING OF OAK HALL BOYS
”Well, they are gone, that's certain!”
”Yes, and there is no telling where they went to.”
”Must have slipped out by a back way.”
”They sure are a slick pair.”
It was some time later, and Dave and the other boys stood on the broad piazza of the hotel discussing the situation.
Following the talk with the observation car agent they had looked into the reading-room only to discover that Job Haskers and Link Merwell had vanished. At once they had rushed into the building, looking through the hallways and other rooms that were open to the general public. Not a trace of the two evildoers was to be found anywhere. Then they had consulted the clerk at the desk, and through him had learned that only Job Haskers was stopping at the place.
”But he has a young friend here, a Mr. Smith--Jackson Smith,” the clerk had told them. And then he had described the fellow called Jackson Smith, and Dave and his chums had felt a.s.sured that it was Link Merwell under an a.s.sumed name. Finally a visit had been paid to the rooms Haskers and Merwell had occupied, and both had been found vacated, with the keys sticking in the locks.
”And neither of 'em stopped to pay his bill,” the clerk had told them, mournfully.