176
XVIII. IN WHICH THE PIRATE APPEARS IN A FROLICSOME HUMOUR 187
XIX. A HOT SCENT 196
XX. RELATES HOW THE PIRATE HOLDS UP AN AUGUST PERSONAGE 207
XXI. WE PLAN AN AMBUSH 218
XXII. GONE AWAY 228
XXIII. SAVED 240
XXIV. REVELATIONS 249

THE MOTOR PIRATE

CHAPTER I

MAINLY ABOUT MYSELF

OF course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate. No one indeed could
help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in
some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for
months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his
exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his
first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had
inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it
had begun. Who the owner of the pirate car was? Whence he came? Whither
he went? These are questions which have exercised minds innumerable; but
though there have been nearly as many theories propounded as there were
brains at work propounding them, so far no informed account of the man
or his methods has been made public.

Nearly twelve months have now elapsed since he was last heard of, and
already a number of myths have grown up about his mysterious
personality. For instance, it is not true, as I saw asserted in a
sensational evening paper the other day, that the Motor Pirate was in
the habit of abducting every young and attractive woman who happened to
be travelling in any of the cars he held up. On only one occasion did he
abduct a lady, and in that case there were special circumstances with
which the public have never been made acquainted. His deeds were quite
black enough without further blackening with printer's ink, and it would
be a pity if the real Motor Pirate were lost sight of in mythical haze
such as has gathered about the name of his great prototype, Dick Turpin.

It has occurred to me, therefore, to tell the story of his doings--it
would be impossible for any mortal man to give an absolutely detailed
account of his life and actions--but I know more than the majority of
people about the personality of the man. Of one thing my readers may be
assured: I persona