"There won't be any airship race for me if you are out of it, will there?" demanded Parks.

"Why not? You can surely find someone to take my place. It's the _Racing Star_ that is going to win the race, not the man at the lever. He's got to keep his eyes open, but the machine is so far ahead of anything I've seen, that a careful, active pilot can hardly fail to win."

Parks looked dubious and unconvinced.

"I'm going to get you out of here," he maintained stubbornly, and, knowing the determined character of his employer, Andy went back to the lockup believing that he would keep his word.

"What's the news, Andy?" inquired Chase eagerly.

"The best in the world, Mr. Chase," replied Andy brightly.

"Are they going to let you out?"

"I hope so, soon."

Andy had told Chase something about his circ.u.mstances, and now told him more, mentioning the airship race.

"I say, you shouldn't miss that, should you, Andy?" excitedly proclaimed Chase. "I wish I could help you. I can in time. I have a good mind--"

Chase paused mysteriously, and began stumping about in his usual abstracted, muttering way.

Andy sat down on a bench as there was a movement at the cell-room door.

"Here, give this man shelter for the night and something to eat,"

ordered the turnkey. "Turn him out in the morning."

"h.e.l.lo!" spoke Chase, evidently recognizing a regular habitue of the place, "it's you again, is it?"

"On my rounds, as usual," grinned the newcomer, a harmless-looking, trampish fellow.

"Been in some other lockup, I suppose, since we saw you last?"

insinuated Chase.

"No, Wandering d.i.c.k and I have been following a show. You see--"

"Who? Say that again," interrupted Chase excitedly.

"Wandering d.i.c.k."

"Where is he now?"

"Three days ago I left him about fifty miles south of here."

"Is he there now?"

"I think so. The show broke up and that threw me out, but d.i.c.k talked about staying around Linterville till he could panhandle it south for the winter."

"See here," said Chase, drawing out his pocketbook. "There's a ten-dollar bill," and he flipped over some bank notes.

"I see there is," nodded the tramp wonderingly.

"I'll start you out with a good breakfast and that money in the morning.

I want you to find d.i.c.k, bring him here, and I'll give you each as much more money when you do."

The tramp looked puzzled, then suspicious, and then alarmed.

"See here," he said, "what are you going to work on us, same old charge?"

"Not at all. I want d.i.c.k to answer a half dozen questions, that's all, and then you are both! free to go."

"Say, let me start to-night!" said the tramp eagerly.

"No, it's too late," replied Chase. "There's no train until morning."

Andy had overheard all this conversation. Wandering d.i.c.k was the name he had heard Chase speak once before, and he had coupled it with the suggestion that in some way Wandering d.i.c.k was concerned in the incident of Farmer Jones' burned-down barn.

Andy slept in a good bed and got up early in the morning, believing that the new day would bring some developments of importance in the situation.

The tramp was started off by Chase, breakfast was over, and Chase had been let out by the turnkey into the main room. He came rushing back in a few minutes carrying an armful of towels for jail use.

"Andy," he chuckled, throwing his load recklessly on a bench and slapping his young friend gleefully on the shoulder, "You're free!"

CHAPTER XIX-A DISAPPOINTMENT

Andy was led into the office of the jail and up to the desk of the official who had registered his name the day before. This man opened a drawer and pushed a package before Andy and a receipt.

"See if your money is all right," he directed, "and sign that receipt."

"Going to give them back to me, are you?" said Andy brightly, feeling delighted at recovering his liberty. "They must have found out that I am innocent."

"H-m! that's to be determined later on."

Andy looked questioningly about the room. Who had set him free? What did it mean? Just then he caught the sound of voices in another room and the officer pointed to it.

"Your friend is in there," he said. "He's waiting for you."

Andy felt as if he had wings on his feet. His heart was overflowing with gladness. He crossed the threshold of the doorway the officer had indicated, looked in, and then stood stock still, very much surprised.

"Well, young man, we've reached you at last?" spoke a hearty voice.

"Why, it's Mr. Webb!" exclaimed Andy.

He had at once recognized the gentleman whom he had driven over in the automobile from Princeville to Macon, the day when all his troubles in life seemed to have begun.

With Mr. Webb was a man who nodded pleasantly but curiously to Andy.