ut having
everything stolen, I think it's time for the police to get busy!"

"How did you happen to be parked downtown?" Penny inquired. "Your
mother said you had gone to visit an aunt."

"I did, but on the way home I stopped at the "Y" for a swim. I should
have left the car on a lot but I thought I'd save the quarter. Now
witness the result!"

"You still have four tires," Penny pointed out. "That's more than they
left me."

"Yes, but they've done something to the engine. It won't start.
That's why I called you."

Penny lifted the hood to look at the motor. Susan peered anxiously
over her shoulder.

"Can you tell what's wrong?"

"It looks to me as if some of the vital parts are missing. Offhand I'd
say it was the generator."

"What's a generator?" Susan asked blankly. "Are they very expensive?"

"I don't know but I imagine they are. Isn't your car covered by
insurance, Susan?"

"No, it isn't. We intended to take it out but we didn't think a few
days' delay would make any difference."

"Thieves seem to favor new cars."

"I realize that now," Susan said ruefully. "You know, I noticed a
rather queer thing as I came out of the "Y." A garage service car was
standing beside my coupe. It drove away as I came toward it."'

"A service car?" Penny demanded alertly. "Did you see what garage it
was from?"

"No, I didn't. In fact, I scarcely paid any attention at the time for
it wasn't until I had reached my car that I realized it had been
stripped."

"You must have surprised the thieves in the act!" Penny said excitedly.
"Undoubtedly, they are using the service truck as a front to escape
detection."

"How do you mean?"

"Why, they drive up in the truck and pretend to be changing a tire or
repairing the engine. Passersby notice nothing amiss."

"But what if the owner appears?"

"They drive away or if actually caught claim that they have made a
mistake in identifying the car of a customer."

"The driver of the garage truck did act suspiciously," Susan admitted.
"I was stupid not to jot down the license number."

The girls were talking so earnestly that they failed to note the
approach of a policeman. He paused to see what was wrong.

"Wheel stolen?" he asked, surveying the car critically.

"The wheel, the generator, and almost everything detachable," Susan
informed. "I was only gone a few minutes too."

"Have you reported to headquarters?"

Susan shook her head.

"What's the use?