alongside the
chauffeur leaning forward, as though eagerly scrutinizing them. Rod
imagined he was a little taken aback by their halting, and was trying to
puzzle it out.

Suddenly the popping of the exhausts announced that the two motorcycles
were once more in action. Both boys sprang into the saddle and away they
went down the dusty road. As they were in plain sight the men could
readily see that one of the trio was missing. And it would be most
natural to imagine that something had happened to his machine, so that
he must have taken temporary refuge in the abandoned house, while his
comrades continued their flight.

What then?

Would the man they believed to be the plotting Jules stop, and with his
assistant rush into the house to look for the missing boy? Much depended
on his actions, for if the chauffeur remained with the car, Josh, lying
in wait near by, might be utterly unable to accomplish the design he had
in view.

Rod had high hopes. He could figure that Jules would want to make sure
the third American boy did not have the paper on his person, before
speeding after the two whom he could see going leisurely down the road,
as if inviting pursuit.

As their pace was now less swift Rod was able to turn again and again
and look backward. Hanky Panky was doing the same, though his machine
did wabble more or less, and he had to be exceedingly careful not to
land in the ditch alongside the fine road.

It was a moment of considerable suspense to both boys. They saw the car
approach the house, and noted with more or less interest that its pace
was lessening. That began to look as though the bait had taken, and
Jules meant to make sure of the "bird in the hand," before trying for
those in the bush.

"Rod, they're stopping, as sure as you live!" yelled Hanky Panky in
great excitement just then.

"Yes, and there they both jump out; steady, Hanky, don't lose your
head!" warned the leader, noticing how the other's machine wavered.

CHAPTER IV.

JOSH DOES HIS LITTLE TRICK.

Meanwhile Josh had carried out the preliminary part of his share in the
plot to the best of his ability. Rushing ahead of his chums he had
succeeded in concealing his motorcycle amidst the bushes skirting the
road, just a little distance beyond the house.

His heart was beating like a triphammer as he turned, once this had been
done, to discover whether the men in the pursuing car had come in sight
so as to notice what he was doin