they were being shadowed
they would not have hesitated, he felt sure, to resort to such murderous
tactics. Had they not already one dastardly murder to their record? He
must find out when the Hoffs arrived home. They would not be due for an
hour or two, but he would caution the operatives watching the house to
keep more vigilant watch. Reaching for his 'phone he called up the
head-quarters of the operatives.

"Report to me at once," he said to the operative who answered his call,
"the minute the Hoffs have arrived home."

"The old man is home now," the operative answered.

"What's that?" cried Fleck.

"He came in alone five minutes ago on foot. The young man is not home
yet with the automobile."

"Let me know as soon as he arrives," said Fleck curtly, turning away
from the 'phone.

He was more perplexed than ever. What could have happened? Where was
young Hoff with the motor? Where was Jane Strong? Why had she
disappeared after Dean had been hurt? How had she vanished? The Hoffs'
affairs had assuredly taken a new and bothersome turn, over which Fleck
sat puzzling many minutes.

Where was Jane Strong? In the answer to that question, he decided at
length, lay the crux of the whole situation.

CHAPTER XI

JANE'S ADVENTURE

For more than two hours Thomas Dean and Jane had been vainly circling
about West Point on their motorcycle, striving to pick up some clue that
would put them once more on the trail of the Hoffs' car. They had not
dared to ask too many questions of any one near the ferry, fearful lest
the people they were pursuing might have a guard posted there to warn
them in case of a possible pursuit, yet cautious inquiries seemed to
indicate that all the automobiles on the ferryboat which had preceded
had been headed to the north.

"There's only one thing we can do," Dean had said despondently. "We have
got to run out each road we come to until we reach some shop or garage
where the people would be likely to have noticed the Hoffs. They may
have stopped somewhere, or we may meet some one coming toward us who
will remember having passed them."

"It seems like a wild-goose chase," said Jane, "but I suppose there is
nothing else to do."

The strain of their bitter disappointment was telling on both of them.
Each felt inclined to blame the other for their having fallen so far
behind. They rode along in silence, their nerves becoming more and more
keyed up as their hopes grew less. At garage after ga