_Chapter XI_
FOLLOW THE LEADER
"Need any help?" inquired Bill, as Dorothy drew up opposite the Packard.
"Thanks! This thing has got me stumped. I'm not much of a mechanician,"returned the lame man ruefully. "Do you know anything about motors?"
"Making them behave is my long suit," was Bill's glib retort as healighted from the car and crossed the road. "Let's see if I can locateyour trouble. Got plenty of gas?"
"Lots of it. I just looked to see."
"Then let me have your flashlight while I give her the once over."
"Wait a minute--" called Dorothy, "I'll swing this car round and put mylights on the engine. There--is that better?" she ended, trying to keepthe excitement out of her voice.
"Nothing could be sweeter!" sang out Bill without turning his head."Hold her as you are."
Dorothy's offer had not been quite so altruistic as it sounded, for nowher lights brilliantly illuminated the two figures bending over thePackard's engine. While Bill went over the motor with the sureness of anexpert, keeping up a desultory conversation with the stranger, Dorothyused her eyes to good advantage.
But after a while she grew impatient. Why didn't Bill capture the man atonce so they could haul him off to the police station? Why did hecontinue to go on with his pretended inspection of the engine? Hecouldn't really be in earnest, for if he found the trouble and fixed it,the lame man would simply get in his car and drive away. Could it bethat Bill wasn't sure of his quarry? Of course, he was clean shaven,although Lizzie had described him as having a small mustache. Naturally,he'd shave it off. By this time he must know that his description hadbeen broadcast. And so far as she could see the earrings were missingtoo. But that was to be expected. And he spoke good English with aslight Italian accent.
What was the matter with Bill! He was big enough to take care of the manwith one hand, when all he did was tinker and jabber. What was the useof that?
"Your engine seems to be in A-1 condition," Bill was saying. "Doesn'tlook as if you'd been running the car lately."
"I haven't," replied the lame man. "She ran like a charm when I drovedown here earlier this evening. Then all of a sudden she stops--andwon't go on."
"Ah! here we are!" Bill exclaimed a moment later. "You've got a chokedjet. I'll fix that in a jiffy."
"You are very kind," beamed the Italian. "Is that a serious trouble?"
"Not so bad. Buy better gas and have your carburetor well looked over.I'll fix it so the car will move, though."
"Do you think she will run fifty miles?"
"Sure--but there are plenty of garages nearer than that if you want tofix it."
"I'll wait until I reach home. My friend--he will give the engine athorough going over. He understands very well such things."
"Good enough." Bill straightened his back and closed the hood. "You'reO.K. now. She'll run."
"Then thank you so much. You have been very kind."
"Don't mention it." Bill waved farewell and crossed the road as the lameman climbed into his car and drove off in the direction of New Canaanvillage.
"What ever _is_ the matter with you?" Dorothy broke out in a fever ofangry disappointment. "Why didn't you nab him while you had the chance?Now he'll get away and--"
"Hush, sister! Likewise calm yourself," cut in Bill. "Move over. I'mgoing to drive. This business isn't finished by a long shot. It has onlyjust begun."
Dorothy, flabbergasted by his high-handed manner, slid across the seatas he directed, and Bill sprang in behind the wheel. The tail light ofthe Packard disappeared around the bend of the road.
"What's the idea?" she fumed.
"Wait till we get going, Dot." Bill threw in the reverse and started toturn the car in the direction from which they had come a quarter of anhour before.
"_Don't_ call me 'Dot'! You know I won't stand for it. Aren't you thelimit--Going to try to trail him, I suppose, when you could have nailedhim right here!"
"Don't get peeved!" Bill swung the little car onto the road andswitching off his lights brought his foot down on the accelerator. "Iknow what I'm doing."
"_Well, maybe_ you do." Her voice was full of sarcasm. "But we mightjust as well go back to the Pen and Pencil meeting. You'll never catchup with his bus."
"Shan't try to. There's his tail light now!" They rounded the turn andBill sent the car streaking along the black road like a terrified cat upa back alley. "There's no need to get snippy," he added. "You heard whatour friend said about _his_ friend--who understands all about engines?On a bet, that's the lad who wore the chauffeur's cap and beaned thenight watchman. He said he'd let him look over the carburetor when hegot home, didn't he? And like as not that ripe egg lady--the one withthe red head--will be there too!"
"Staten Island Sadie?"
"Sure thing."
"Perhaps," admitted Dorothy. "The lame man _was_ alone in his car. Butyou stand a good chance of losing him, even if he doesn't see us. We'llhave to switch on the lights going through towns."
"But, you see, I'm pretty sure I know where he's bound for."
"You do?" Her surprise drove all petulance from her tone.
"That's what I've kept up my sleeve. If he takes the Ridgefield Road,out of New Canaan, then I'm certain of it."
"Better switch on the glims again," she advised. "We'll crash or get aticket running without them in this South Main Street traffic--we'renearly in the village now. I can spot the Packard ahead there." Then,contritely, she continued: "Sorry I was peeved, Bill, old thing. Ididn't understand. Forgive me--and let's hear all about it."
"Of course--hello!" he cried. "He's slowed down. Confound it, anyway.That comes of talking and not keeping my mind on the job. I'll bet hehas his suspicions. Wants to see if we're following--nothing dumb aboutthat bird. I shouldn't have driven so close. He'll tumble to a certaintyif we slow up too."
"What are you going to do?"
"Give me time--" he answered grimly. "Confound again! There goes the redlight on the Library corner! Now we're in for it."
"P'raps he won't notice us," said Dorothy hopefully as they drew upbehind the Packard.
"Not a chance. But we'll fool him yet. Let me do the talking," hewhispered as the lame man thrust his head out of the car and looked backat them.
"Hello, there!" cried Bill cheerfully. "I see you've got this farwithout another breakdown!"
"Good evening, my friend," replied the Italian. "This is a surprise. Ithought you were going the other way."
"Oh, no. Just ran down there to leave a message." Bill's tone wasaffability itself. "You must have come pretty slowly. How's the carrunning?"
"Nicely, thank you."
"Don't be afraid to let her out. Well--there's the light. Excuse me if Ipass you," he said airly. "We're in a hurry. So long."
"Au revoir ..." Dorothy added gaily and waved her hand as Bill swung tothe left, then headed up Main Street in advance of the Packard.
"Aren't you smart! You'll get us into a heap of trouble yet with your'au revoirs'!"
"Hey, there"--she cried. They were rolling swiftly up the hill past thebank.
"You should have turned right then left, for Ridgefield--back at thelast corner!"
Bill laughed. "Old Angel Face did just as I figured," he informed her,still chuckling. "I spotted him making the turn, in the glass."
"Where are we going? Sure you haven't lost him?"
"Listen. That chap is heading for Ridgefield. From there he will runanother ten miles up to Danbury. Unless I'm completely wet, hisobjective is a certain house in the hills on a back road, over towardthe New York borderline about twenty-five miles north. It's a rough,wild stretch of country, with Pawling, N. Y., to the west and NewMilford, Connecticut, on the east, that he's heading for. Nice ridingtoo, dirt roads, mere trails that haven't had a scraper on them sincethe Revolution. That house I just told you about is a good ten milesfrom a railroad as a plane flies--probably twice as far by road."
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br /> "Interesting--but why are we heading this way?"
"Simply because it is too dangerous to follow that lad just now. Hesmells a rat and is sure to park in some dark spot along the way to makecertain he's not being followed."
"Then what _are_ we going to do?"
"I'm going to run west over to Bedford, New York. Then north from therethrough Golden Bridge and Croton Falls to Brewster. From Brewster I'llkeep to the same state road north toward Pawling. But just before I getto Patterson, there's a dirt road that turns off into the hills to thenortheast. That's the one I'll follow. Eventually, I'll get to thehouse. Angel Face's route is shorter--but I'll get there soon after hedoes, if he stops along the way to see if anyone's after him. First ofall I'll drop you at your house and get myself a gat."
"You'd better get two--for I'm coming with you."
"Sorry, my girl--this is a man's job."
Dorothy turned and stared at him. "Well--of all the consummate nerve--"she began.
"Sorry, Dot--it just can't be. I've got no right to let you run therisk."
"Don't you _dare_ to 'Dot' me again!" Miss Dixon was distinctlyirritated. "And what's more, if you try to ditch me, I'll phone thepolice station and spill everything. They'll pick you up at Bedford andhorn in, of course--and like as not, they'll gum it all."
"If you talk that way, I suppose I'll have to take you."
"Of course you will. Say, Bill, that was only a bluff, wasn't it?"
Bill smiled. "Perhaps. But it's a risky business."
"No worse than learning to fly, is it?"
"Fifty-fifty, I should say."
"That's settled, then. What I can't understand is why you didn't corralthat gang long before this--or at least put the police on to them, ifyou knew where they were all the time."
"But that's just it--they haven't been in the house since the robbery.I've driven up there several times and reconnoitered from the air aswell."
"Then what makes you think you'll corner the gang at the house now?"
The car turned in the Dixon's drive and came to a stop by the sideentrance.
"You'll have to wait till the next chapter for that," he laughed. "Timeis worth more than money now. I'll tell you all about it when we getgoing again. Beat it upstairs now and change that light dress forbreeches and a dark sweater or coat. I'll run across the road forsomething more suitable and less conspicuous than white flannels."
"O.K." Dorothy sprang out of the car. "Don't forget our armory."
"Not a chance. Now forget the prinking and make it snappy," he sang out,backing down the driveway.
Dorothy Dixon Wins Her Wings Page 11