Part 17 (2/2)
”No. Where are you boys going?” the tramp abruptly added.
”We're going to look for a lost automobile,” said Fred. ”You haven't seen one lately, have you?”
”Did you lose a car?” inquired the tramp, ignoring the question.
”We certainly have lost it,” said George, ”or rather somebody has taken it.”
”And you know where it is now?”
”We've got word where it may be and we're going to find out.”
Fred had been watching the tramp closely throughout the conversation and when George abruptly turned back to the garage he instantly followed him.
CHAPTER XIV-DISAPPOINTED
”I tell you,” exclaimed Fred in a low voice as soon as he had overtaken his friend, ”that tramp knows more about the lost automobile than he told us.”
George turned abruptly and for a moment stared blankly at his friend and then laughed aloud. ”I think you surely have got it,” he said. ”A fellow who can find spooks and ghosts of automobiles ought to be able to find out a man who will steal them. That tramp to me doesn't look as if he had ever seen the inside of a car.”
”It doesn't make any difference,” said Fred persistently. ”I tell you he knows more about that car than you think.”
”What makes you think so?”
”The way he looked and acted when we were talking about the auto having been stolen.”
”Did he look guilty?”
”I don't know whether he did or not. He looked up right away and the expression on his face was different from what it was before. He knows something about it anyway, whether he took it or not.”
”Keep it up, Fred,” laughed George. ”Pretty soon you'll be able to run down every man who has seen our car, to say nothing of those who took it.”
”What do you advise me to do?” he continued.
”I don't know.”
”That's just it,” laughed George. ”There are lots of people that can tell you what ought to be done, but there are mighty few that can tell you how to do it. Do you want me to have him arrested?”
”I didn't say that,” said Fred. ”All I said to you was that he knows more about it than you think he does. It seems to me it would be a good thing to have some one watch him or to leave word with the constable.”
”What will the constable do? He can't invite him to his house.”
”No, but he can tell him he mustn't leave town, can't he?”
”I don't think he could without a warrant or something. You can't arrest a man merely on suspicion.”
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