CHAPTER IV
DETECTIVE BOB RACK HAS SOMETHING TO SAY
To the police officials of Syracuse, Phil and Dave first directed theirsteps in that city. The result was as usual. The department had a reportthat such-and-such a car was stolen. The officers would be pretty likelyto discover it if the machine should appear in the town.
"But you better see the Automobile club. They are a big help ineverything where autos are concerned," advised the police captain.
At a centrally located garage the boys stopped to repeat the samequestions they had asked so many times before. The man in charge hadheard the story of a car mysteriously disappearing from the South Forkroad beyond Port Greeley, but that was all. "You can't do better thansee the Automobile club," he added, however. "They are the ones to getyou the right dope if there's any way to get it."
Although it was still too early to expect to find a secretary or otherofficer present, the boys decided to visit the club headquarters atonce. A pleasant-faced man was reading a motor journal as they entered.To him they stated the purpose of their call.
"By George, that's interesting!" said the stranger thoughtfully. "Wait aminute!" Reaching for a desk phone, the pleasant-faced man was soon intouch with the person he desired. Briefly he told of the two youngcallers and their errand. "All right, that's the ticket!" he said, aftersome conversation over the wire, and hung up the receiver.
Asking the boys to accompany him, the agreeable stranger piloted them toan office in a large brick building where he introduced them to agentleman who seemed hardly more than a boy in appearance, though hisage was probably twenty-five. His name was Freeland Cape. ("A regularCape of Good Hope to us," Phil said afterward.)
"Sit down," said Mr. Cape to the young strangers, as their escort leftthem. Thanking him, Phil and Dave accepted the proffered chairs. Withoutado Mr. Cape was informed of the loss of the Six and the search thus farso unsuccessful.
"Queerest affair I ever heard of," was the young man's comment. "Buttell me more of this Torpedo car. There was a Torpedo stolen inHarkville--(Phil and Dave exchanged glances)--an extraordinary case. Andof course it is evident that the parties who, for some reason, abandonedthe machine you found, grabbed your car directly afterward."
"It would seem so, but it is hardly the case," put in Phil quickly. "Wehave had that notion pretty well pounded out of us by different people,especially by Mr. Fobes, the policeman at Griffin. 'Two separatetransactions,' were his words and he made it pretty plain. And of coursewe were, and are, more anxious to locate our own car than anything else.So all along, 'two separate transactions' we have had right in mind."
Young Mr. Cape scratched the crown of his head with one forefinger whilehe thought for a few seconds. "There never is a theory so exclusivelyinclusive but some other theory can be suggested," said he. "I may bewrong. Without knowing anything about the Torpedo you found, I'd say thetwo separate facts constitute a plausible supposition. But I _do_ knowand _you_ know now, that the machine you found was probably the onestolen from Harkville. Who stole it? We do not know, but it is prettyplain that no one other than the original thieves had the car on thatSouth Fork road, wherever they may have been with it since first itdisappeared. Now that lands in the very vicinity of your car, at thetime of your loss, the fellows who stole one automobile. And, havingstolen one, no doubt they would just as lief take another and betterone. The man who was seen with your basket may have been only a tramp.If your suitcases were left behind, the basket was thrown out, as well,at the same place or near by."
"Any way you put it, though," suggested MacLester, his brow puckered inthought, "we are left right in the middle of it all, again. Go one way,and we might find who owned the Torpedo. Go the other way--and we standa better chance, I should think, of finding our own Six and the thieves.Whether they stole both cars, or simply ours, isn't a question in thecase at all just yet."
"Yes," assented Mr. Cape, "but you must go back along the road, orwherever you may have to go, for the things you need to aid your search.You can't unsnarl a fish line, or anything else, without you have onefree end with which to make a start."
Phil became nervous and uneasy as so much time was being consumed indiscussion, interesting to him though the talk was. "Tell us just what_you'd_ do, Mr. Cape," he said earnestly.
"Advice is dangerous in a case like this. You may do as I would do andlose by it. Still, I'll venture a suggestion. You have gotten together,bit by bit, a lot of valuable facts. Right here in this building is adetective. He works for big people. Why not talk with him? If thatTorpedo is the stolen Harkville machine you will win the help of one ofthe largest insurance companies in the job of capturing the thieves andat the same time, it is quite certain, recovering your own car."
"That's the plan!" exclaimed Phil eagerly.
"The very thing!" said Dave.
In a moment Mr. Cape had the telephone in his hand. Within five minutesthe boys were in the office of Detective Robert Rack, or plain "Bob"Rack, as his name so often appears in the newspapers.
Mr. Rack was a ready listener to the whole story in detail as the boystold it. Quietly he referred to a card index a stenographer brought him."I don't think this work need cost you young men a copper," said he. Hisvoice was soft as a June zephyr. His neat business suit, calm, gray eyesand hair just tinged with gray, made him appear a great deal more like asuccessful salesman of some kind than a detective--than such ideas ofdetectives as the boys had hitherto had, at least.
"Not a copper cent," said Bob Rack, looking up from the card index. "Andhow would you like to be reimbursed for your trouble and expense?"
These were quite the most pleasant words that had fallen upon David's orPhilip's ears for some time. In substance they said as much.
"I do not doubt the Torpedo you picked up is one we have long wanted toget trace of. The insurance people offer four hundred dollars for therecovery of the car. For the arrest and conviction of the thieves theywill give five hundred dollars more. So then, if your party--four of youin all, are there?--wish simply to turn over the Torpedo you may do so.I'll tell you who is to be notified. There's one hundred dollars eachfor you. Or if you'd like my office to help you, both with the Torpedoand your own car, I'll make this proposition: to go myself, or send agood man with you on this case, and whatever the expenses and whateverthe receipts may amount to they all shall be shared equally."
"Bob, you're a brick!" cried Mr. Cape, who had been an interestedlistener. Then he said good-bye, assuring the boys that their problemwas in the best of hands. Heartily they thanked him.
"But there's some doubt about that car in Griffin being the one stolenat Harkville, isn't there?" reasoned Phil Way as the facts in hand werefurther discussed with Mr. Rack. "Why did that man Kull never answer ourtelegram?"
"Ah, that is a thing to remember! I asked myself the same question themoment you said the telegram was not answered, a little time ago,"smiled the detective. "It would be a dreadful thing, I am sure, for aman to show no interest in the recovery of his stolen car, simplybecause he had received the price of it in insurance." The boys couldsee Mr. Rack meant something more than he said. They thought they knewthe thought he entertained. But he went on at once, more seriously:"There is a great deal more to this matter than simply getting yourmachine for you or restoring the Torpedo, or I am badly mistaken."
Phil's eyes glistened. Davy sat very still and I am afraid his mouth wasopen without reason other than for his wonder and interest.
"So," concluded Mr. Robert Rack, very calmly and gently, as he hadspoken all along, "suppose you leave the whole matter with me for thepresent. You better stay in town until to-night or maybe to-morrow, incase I should want you. Just now I wish you to do only one other thing,but that is very important. Telegraph or telephone your friends inGriffin to hold the Torpedo. Don't let it get out of their hands underany circumstances. If they ride out in it, they should not leave the carunattended anywhere for one moment."
As if treading on air, such was t
heir elation, the two boys were leavingthe office. "Oh, just a moment!" called Mr. Rack quietly. "Was the name'Fielderson Brothers' on the cans of paint found in the car you pickedup, do you remember?"
"Yes, but they are the manufacturers. Their paint can be boughtanywhere," Phil replied.
"Yes," the detective answered, apparently the least bit amused.
With eager interest and pleasure Phil and Dave composed a telegram toBilly and Paul. After many efforts the following is the message theycompleted and sent:
"Don't let Torpedo leave Creek's garage for any purpose. Expect to find Six soon. Must stay here until to-morrow. Wire care of Auto club."
With the telegram safely dispatched, the boys found a pleasant,inexpensive hotel where they engaged a room. They went to a restaurantfor dinner, then resolved to write some letters, first to the folks athome, assuring them of the hopeful outlook, then to Billy and Paul whowould be keen to learn all that had taken place. A letter would reachthem the following morning.
"I would rather have telephoned," said Phil. "They'll be wild for morenews after getting our telegram, but we've spent so much money on longdistance calls and railroad fare, to boot, the last two days!"
And in addition to Phil's remark I am able to state, in confidence, thatthe funds of the Auto Boys would soon need replenishing if many morerailroad tickets must be bought or other considerable bills paid.
For it will be remembered there were four lusty appetites to be providedfor, to say nothing of the extra expenses they were meeting. Thepossessors of two of the "vast voids" (one of Paul's names for the fourappetites) found meal-time less pleasant now, however, than when Philand Dave were with them. Indeed, Paul accused Worth of being absolutely"grumpy," whatever that may be, as they sat at breakfast in the AmericanHouse on Tuesday morning.
This was the day Phil and Dave were in Pittsfield, it will be recalled."And I'll bet we've done more than they have," said Paul, referring tothe absent ones. He was thinking of the man in the town jail and ofBilly's talk with that untractable person.
"I did think we had made quite a start," said Billy, droopingly. "Butwhat's come of it? Nothing!"
"Cheer up, cheer up!" chirped Jones blithely. "We'll get busy againto-day. Hurry up, too! These pancakes are made out of old burlap. I knowthey are! I used to think it was perfectly grand to eat in hotels and soforth but, golly! wouldn't some fodder from home taste good right now?Honestly, I'm getting tired of burlap pancakes, puree of shavin' soap,pincushions a la hay, fried towels and all the other strange things youget under strange names in these places. I----"
But Billy said, "If we're going to get busy, let's do it," and promptlyhe led the way out to the office. "Better see Mr. Fobes, hadn't we?" hesuggested.
Just why Worth wanted to see the police officer he possibly did notknow, beyond the slight chance that the man in the lockup may have hadsomething to say to him. Yet it did happen that while the two soughtChief Fobes, the latter was seeking them. They met in front of the bank.
"Our fellow in the cooler has been asking for you. He may let go ofsomething yet if you go at him easy." These words, addressedparticularly to Billy, took the pair to the jail quite bubbling withexpectancy. They fully believed the prisoner knew something of theircar--believed it regardless of Willie Creek's mild protest that the manwas fooling them.
Again Chief Fobes escorted Worth through the dim corridor to thesomewhat lighter basement cells. A window in the rear of the buildingwas open, looking out upon a yard with trees and shrubbery. The prisonerwas apparently enjoying the breeze that drifted in.
"Can't I talk to the kid a second, boss?"
The one behind the bars having spoken thus, though he still turned hisface toward the corridor window, Chief Fobes motioned Billy forwardwhile he stepped back a few paces.
"Say, bub, did ye see that guy? Did ye tell 'im?"
For a fraction of time Worth did not understand. Then recalling moreclearly the chance remark about "Smith" at the hotel, he answered, "No."
"Didn't, eh? Why didn't ye?"
"You got mad yesterday and wouldn't talk sense or anything else. Whyshould I pay any more attention to you? Tell me what you know about thecar you took that motor basket from and I'll do anything you ask that'sreasonable."
"Ye was just lyin' to me about that man Smith, now wasn't ye?" the manreturned in a low, earnest voice, ignoring Billy's request. And then headded as the boy hesitated, and swearing as he had done the previousday, "Aw, I was just a-kiddin' ye--just a-kiddin' ye to pass the timeaway."