Shirley did so, and again Leonard climbed out. Through inquiry he learned which was Briggs' house and hastened to it. An old man answered his knock.

"Are you Mr. Briggs?" asked Leonard.

"Yes," was the reply. "What do you want?"

There was something in the man's manner that convinced Leonard he was on the right track. He determined to try a bold shot.

"I want to see your prisoner," he said sternly.

"Prisoner," echoed the old man, taking a step backward. "What prisoner?"

"The boy you are holding for Jones."

The old man recovered himself.

"I haven't any prisoner," he said.

"Oh, yes you have," said Leonard, "and I want him right now.

Understand?"

The old man looked at him with an evil leer.

"Get out of here," he shouted, and gave Leonard an unexpected push.

Leonard, taken unaware, stumbled back, and at the same moment the old man stepped inside the house, and closed and locked the door.

Leonard sprang forward again and laid hold of the k.n.o.b. Then he put his weight against the door, but it would not budge. He walked back to where the girls waited for him.

"He's in there, all right," he said grimly. "But I can't get in."

"Can't you break down the door?" asked Shirley.

"I might," said Leonard, "but if I did I probably would be shot for my pains. You can't force your way into a man's house, you know."

"Then what are we to do?" exclaimed Mabel.

"Call the police," said Leonard grimly. "They'll go in, all right, whether they have a right to do so or not."

"Let's hurry then," said Shirley anxiously. "There is no telling what may happen to Jimmy unless we make haste."

Leonard climbed back into the machine.

"To the police station at once," he said.

Just as the machine started off, Shirley's attention was attracted by a man who darted suddenly across the street and into the rear of the house Leonard had just left.

"Jones!" she exclaimed.

Leonard and Mabel also had seen the hurrying figure.

"That's who it is, all right," said Mabel.

"There is no doubt about it," declared Leonard. "We'll round them all up together."

At the police station Leonard explained the situation in a few words.

Two men were detailed to go with them and investigate. All climbed into the machine, and in a few moments were back before Briggs' home.

Leonard and the two girls approached the door with the two policemen.

One of the officers rapped loudly upon the door with his club. There was no answer, and the policeman rapped again. Still there was no answer.

"Open up, Briggs, or we shall break the door down," called one of the officers.

Again no answer.

"Kick her in, Bill," said the first officer.

He suited the action to the word, and there was a resounding crash as his boot struck the door a hard blow. The second officer also delivered several heavy kicks.

There was the sound of splintering wood, and in a few moments the door gave way, shattered. The officers rushed in with poised clubs, and Leonard and the two girls followed them closely.

Straight through the house they went, but their quest was vain. There was no one there.

Leonard, glancing up, spied what appeared to be an attic.

"Give me a hand up," he called to one of the two policemen.

The latter obeyed and Leonard scrambled up above.

"Be careful," whispered Shirley.

Leonard struck a match and looked around. There was no one there.

"n.o.body home," he said, after he had dropped down again.

"Where did they go?" demanded Shirley anxiously.

"My gracious!" exclaimed Mabel. "Why didn't we think of it before?"

"Think of what?" asked Shirley quickly.

"Why, the creek. They have probably escaped in a launch."

Without pausing to reply, Shirley turned and darted from the house toward the creek, the others following closely. Several rowboats lay idly by, and in one of them, fishing, were two men.

"Did you see anything of Briggs?" demanded Shirley.

"Yes, Miss," said one of the men. "He, and three others, just left in a launch. Is anything the matter?"