CHAPTER XV
SECRET SERVICE
Mr. Speedwell possessed some little ingenuity in mechanics himself, andperhaps Dan had inherited his taste for the same study. The boys knewthey had a hard task before them when, on getting the wrecked car out ofthe farm wagon, they turned it over and ran it in upon the shop floor.Their father’s opinion was anxiously awaited by the brothers.
He was not a man who grew enthusiastic without cause, and was slow informing his judgment. It was not until he had been able to thoroughly goover the wrecked car that he told Dan and Billy what he thought of theirbargain.
“If we had the tools here, we three could put that car in as goodcondition as she was when she came from the shop,” he finally said,wiping his hands on a bit of waste. “As she stands she is worth threetimes what you gave for her, I am sure. And after we have made all therepairs we can make, the expense of putting her in first-class shape andrepainting her—if you are content with a plain warship drab color—oughtnot to be above seventy-five dollars.”
“Bully!” shouted Billy, flinging his cap into the air.
“And can you help us at once, Dad?” asked Dan, eagerly. “We want toenter for that thousand mile endurance test if we can. It will come inThanksgiving week, and we sha’n’t have to miss school.”
“I will go to work on it this very day,” returned Mr. Speedwell, smilingat their enthusiasm.
But he pointed out again that there would be many things besides therepainting of the car that they could not do. And so, after school thenext afternoon, Dan and Billy went over to the Darringford shops to seewhat kind of an arrangement they could make for the repair of the drabcar.
The boys had a friend in Mr. Robert Darringford, who was really the headof the concern; but they did not wish to seem to ask a favor of him, sowent directly to the overseer of the department in which the wrecked carwould have to be repaired. This overseer was the father of one of theirfellow-club members, “Biff” Hardy, and Biff himself worked in the shop.
“Fred was telling me about the car you boys got hold of,” said Mr.Hardy. “I guess he knows something about it, and he saw it in the tree.”
“What does he say?” asked Billy, quickly.
“Says we can fix it up like new.”
“And you can do it at once?”
“Don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t. Of course, Mr. Avery can tellyou better than I,” said the foreman.
Dan and Billy looked doubtfully at each other. They did not like to askany favor of the superintendent of the shops, for Francis Avery,Chanceford’s brother, was not their friend.
“You know of nothing now that will be ahead of our job?” asked Dan,gravely.
“Not a thing. I was just going over the order book. There is very littleoutside repairing to be done just now.”
“Then, if we get the machine down here to-morrow it’s likely that youcan go right to work on it?”
“Guess so,” said Mr. Hardy, confidently.
As they walked up town the brothers chanced to pass the Farmers’National Bank. Through the barred window Mr. Baird, the cashier, sawthem, and beckoned them to enter.
“Boys, I have a very serious proposal to make you,” the cashier said.“We have just had a conference with Mr. Briggs, one of our bigdepositors. He has told us of the race he had with the car of thoserobbers who broke into Mr. Sudds’ house, and whom we are sure are thesame that robbed this bank.”
“And I am positive they are the same men,” said Dan.
“Me, too,” agreed Billy. “And they’ve got some automobile! It’s as gooda car as Mr. Briggs’ new one.”
“Well, as to that I cannot say,” returned the cashier. “But Mr. Briggshas told us of the connection of you two brothers with the thieves, andhe has put a thought into my mind.”
“And that is?” asked Dan, seriously.
“That you boys—at least, Billy, here—will be able to recognize andidentify those robbers.”
“I should say I would!” declared Billy. “At least, the fellow who bossesthem, and the man who was wounded at Mr. Sudds’, were both without masksor goggles for part of the time. I’d know them anywhere. And thechauffeur, George, I believe I should know by his figure.”
“I couldn’t be sure myself,” said Dan, doubtfully. “I made a mistake inthat matter of identification once. I took Henri, Mr. Briggs’ ownchauffeur, for one of the thieves.”
“Well, we will say, then, that Billy is the only one who can positivelyidentify the men; but you both know the car.”
“If I ever see one like it it will either be the robbers’ car or Mr.Briggs’,” laughed Dan. “They can’t spring a third one on me.”
“Well. You see what I am getting at,” said Mr. Baird, impressively. “Itis in your power to aid the bank. I understand that you boys have boughta motor car?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And you will be riding around the country in it a good deal.”
“We hope to,” declared the brothers, in chorus.
“Then, it is my firm belief, boys, that you will some day run up againstthose three men, either with or without the maroon car,” declared Mr.Baird, impressively.
“Oh, do you think so?” cried Dan.
“They have been successful in at least two robberies. Of course, thewhole county—half the state, indeed—is awake to their actions now, andthey will have to keep quiet for a while. But, having been so successfulin this manner of work—this automobile-highway robbery—they will wish totry it again.”
“That seems reasonable,” admitted Dan.
“And if we could only find them!” cried Billy.
“That is the idea,” said Mr. Baird. “If you find them, bring about theirarrest. The bank will back you up in it, no matter how much it costs, intime, trouble, or money. And, boys, you will lose nothing yourselves ifyou bring about the arrest of the thieves.”
The Speedwells went forth considerably excited. “I tell you, Dan!” Billywhispered, “wouldn’t it be great if we came across those three rascals?”
“It would give me a whole lot of satisfaction to see them put where thedogs wouldn’t bite them!” agreed the older boy. “But I’d like to havetheir car.”
“Do you suppose it is a Postlethwaite, like Mr. Briggs’?” asked Billy.
“It’s a six-cylinder car without doubt, and looks enough like Mr.Briggs’ to be own sister to it. Hullo! Here’s Burton Poole and his car,”Dan added.
“Come along!” said Billy, shortly. “Chance Avery is with him. I couldgive that fellow a piece of my mind.”
“It wouldn’t do any good,” admonished Dan. “We don’t know that hechopped down our derrick.”
“Well, I’m pretty sure. Who else would be mean enough? We haven’t manyenemies, I hope.”
“No. Hullo, Burton!”
The car Dan had mentioned came to a halt right beside the Speedwellboys, and its owner hailed Dan. Therefore the latter had to speak.Chance Avery, who was driving it, had shut off the power, and now he gotdown and took out the gasoline can. They were all in front ofAppleyard’s store.
“I hear you got Maxey’s car out of the tree, all hunky-dory,” saidBurton, heartily, “and I’m glad of it.”
“You don’t suppose your partner will offer us his congratulations; doyou?” asked Billy, significantly, as Chance went off, scowling, to buygasoline.
“Oh, well, he has a grouch,” laughed Burton Poole. “But, he’s makingthis old car hum! I never could get such speed out of her.”
“You don’t give her enough attention,” laughed Dan, as Burton got outlazily, and opened the gasoline tank.
“Never mind; I add weight to her when we’re racing,” chuckled Poole.
He turned carelessly away from the open tank as he spoke and suddenlyspied a youngster standing on the curb—a little fellow of not more thanten years with a lighted cigarette stuck in his mouth! Poole suddenlygrew angry.
“Ted B
erry! What are you smoking that thing for?” he demanded, sharply.
Little Berry was Burton’s nephew, and in spite of Burton’s haughtinessand laziness, he was rather a decent fellow, and took an elder-brotherlyinterest in his sister’s boy.
“G’wan!” returned Teddy Berry, who had begun to run with a pretty roughset of youngsters, and resented his young uncle’s interference. “Youdidn’t pay for this smoke.”
“Let me get my hands on you!” began Burton, in wrath, leaping for thesaucy little fellow.
Ted, however, was as elusive as an eel. He dodged under Burton’s arm andwould have got away had he not slid on the mud in the gutter, rightbehind the automobile.
“Now I’ve got you!” cried Burton, leaping again and catching the littlefellow by the shoulder.
Ted had withdrawn the cigarette from his mouth. It was in his hand ashis uncle grabbed him. The next instant it flashed through the air—bothDan and Billy saw it—and there sounded a deafening explosion and atongue of flame leaped from the auto’s gasoline tank!