rate confined his attentions to motorists. The stranger did not even
call upon him to pull up. He ran beside the coach, then slightly
increasing his speed, he drew level with the wheelers of the team. There
was the sound of a pistol shot, the off wheeler fell dead in his tracks,
bringing down the other horses in his fall, and swinging the vehicle
right across the road. The driver only escaped being pitched from his
seat by the strap which held him to it.

"Then," continued the man, "he ups with 'is pistol an' tells me to come
dahn, an' dahn I toddles pretty quick. 'Sorry ter inconwenience yer, my
good feller,' ee says. 'Don't menshing it,' I says, as perlite as you'd
be with a pistol a pointing at yer 'ed. 'I want the keys er this 'ere
waggin,' ee says. 'Sorry they don't trust 'em ter us drivers,' I
answers. 'Don't matter worth a cent,' ee says. 'I've another w'y er
openin' thet strong box. Put yer 'ands be'ind yer an' turn rahnd,' ee
says. I done it, an' ee trusses me up like a bloomin' chicken, an'
sticks my own angkincher dahn me froat. With thet ee walks along ter the
door and blows the bloomin' locks orf with 'is pistol. That did it. Ee
looks inside, an' the w'y ee cleared them parcels aht was a sight--well,
yer can see fer yerself wort it's like. The other 'orses were thet mad
they kicks theirselves free. Ee goes froo the parcels cool as a
cowcumber until ee routs aht the registered parcels. Ee puts them in 'is
car. 'Tar, tar!' ee says, wiving 'is 'and, an' orf ee goes jest abaht
five minutes afore you gents comed along."

When Forrest realized how near we had been to coming to close quarters
with our quarry, he went aside, and for the first time since I had made
his acquaintance, I heard him swear. It was a successful effort. He
returned to my side the next moment.

"The telegraph is our only chance," he said. "Drive like hell back to
Crawley."

I did. There we set the wires throbbing, and begun to scour the
countryside for any traces of the Pirate. We did not give up our quest
until eleven o'clock in the morning. I think we inquired at every house
and cottage within a ten-mile radius of the scene of the outrage, but
without finding a single person who had seen or heard of the Motor
Pirate.

Once more he had appeared and disappeared without leaving the faintest
clue to his identity.

CHAPTER XII

HOW WE EXCHANGE SHOTS WITH THE PIRATE

AFTER the sudden flurry which the reappearance of the Motor P