"One feller was an old gent, who looked like a perfesser," said the tramp.

"That must have been Crabtree," said Tom.

"Can it be that they were going to leave the carriage and take to an auto at Latown?" came from Sam.

"Perhaps," answered d.i.c.k. "If they did take to an auto it will be mighty hard to find them."

Tossing the tramp a quarter, they went on their way, and presently reached Latown, and there hurried to the only garage the place possessed.

There they learned that the garage owner had rented a touring car out several days before and it had not yet been returned.

"The fellow who rented it was to pay me ten dollars a day, but I didn't think he'd keep it so long," said the man. "He gave me his card."

"Why, it is my card!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed d.i.c.k, on glancing at the pasteboard.

"The nerve of him! Of course it was Sobber-or one of his cronies."

It was not until nightfall that the boys learned what had become of the touring car. Then they found a boy who had seen the car, with three men and two women in it, speeding towards the Albany road. This lad took them to the very spot where he had seen the car.

"One of the ladies was terribly excited," said the lad. "When she saw me, she shouted something and then threw one of her hair combs at me. Here is the comb now."

"It must be Mrs. Stanhope's," was d.i.c.k's comment. "She wanted it to be used to trace her by."

"It is hers," said Sam. "I remember, she had a pair of them."

"What did she shout?" asked d.i.c.k.

"I couldn't make out, exactly. It sounded like Boston-but I ain't sure."

"Boston?" repeated d.i.c.k. "Oh, it can't be! That is too far away."

"They might be headed for Boston. There is a fine road for autos from Albany to the Hub-the old post-road," said Tom.

"I'll telephone along the line and try to find out where they went,"

answered d.i.c.k.

It was not until the next day that word came in from Albany that the automobile had been seen in that city. It had stopped at a garage to have a tire fixed. No one was in it at the time but a young man. He appeared to be in a great hurry, and had paid well for a rapid repair.

From Albany the auto was traced across the Hudson river and to North Adams. But that was the last heard of it.

"I am going to North Adams," said d.i.c.k.

"It looks as if they did really go to Boston," said Tom.

"Well, they could make the run in a day if they tried real hard. The distance is only about a hundred and fifty miles."

All of the boys resolved to go to North Adams, and sent word to Cedarville to that effect. In return came a telegram from Mr. Rover, reading as follows:

"Run them down if you possibly can. Do not spare expense."

"As if I would spare any expense!" murmured d.i.c.k. "I'd give all I possess to put Mrs. Stanhope back in her home, and put Josiah Crabtree back in prison!"

"And put Sobber in prison, too," added Tom.

In North Adams the lads quite unexpectedly ran into Spud Jackson, who had been spending a few weeks with some relatives in the Berkshires. Spud was immediately interested in what the Rovers had to tell and proposed something that met with immediate approval.

"My uncle Dan has got a dandy car-fast as they make 'em," said Spud. "Can go about a hundred miles an hour, I guess. Well, he lets me run it whenever I want to. Say the word and we'll start for Boston tomorrow, and make inquiries all along the road."

"Can you have the use of the car, Spud?" asked Sam.

"Positively. Uncle Dan said I could make a tour of the White Mountains if I wished, but I don't care for the scenery much-too much of it, I guess.

But going to Boston, to catch those rascals, would hit me plumb."

So it was arranged that they should start eastward in the morning, and in the meantime d.i.c.k and his brothers sent out more messages.

"Who do you think the other woman in that touring car can be?" asked Sam.

"I don't know, Sam," answered his eldest brother. "Perhaps some unscrupulous party who was hired by Crabtree to look after Mrs.

Stanhope."

"Dad said he had heard that Sobber got his money to go to court from a woman who was his great aunt."

"Well, she may be the one-most likely she is. I am only afraid of one thing."

"What's that?" asked Tom.

"That by some means old Crabtree will force Mrs. Stanhope to marry him before we can rescue her."

"I wonder why she doesn't try to run away," came from Sam.

"Probably she has tried, Sam; but they watch her too closely."

"If they went to Boston, what will they do there?" queried Tom.

"I don't know-maybe take a liner for Europe, or to some other part of the earth. You must remember, they are playing for a big stake."

The touring car that Spud brought around the next morning was certainly an elegant affair. It seated five and was of sixty-horse power. Spud quickly demonstrated that he knew how to run the machine, so d.i.c.k did not offer to do so.

"Now you do the bossing," said Spud. "I'll run her anywhere you please, even if you want to go to the top of Mount Washington."

"We are going after that other auto, that's all," answered d.i.c.k, grimly.

The weather was ideal for touring and had they not been under such a mental strain the Rover boys would have enjoyed riding greatly. But they could think of nothing but Mrs. Stanhope and the missing fortune.

"I suppose Dora is waiting every hour to hear from us," said d.i.c.k.

"Yes, and the Lanings are waiting, too," added Tom.

"And dad, and the folks at home," supplemented Sam.

They had sent a number of messages to Cedarville and now sent another, telling of their plans, and mentioning some towns at which they expected to stop. To this message no answer was returned until they reached Worcester, on the afternoon of the following day.