e Prescott's car was a good one, with a powerful, sixty-horse motor, and splendidly upholstered. It was painted a dark blue, and was known in the surr

nts, it would have been dangerous to drive at a pace slow enough to keep level with the automobile, and so the aeroplane soon dashed on a

ith a jerk which almost threw Jess, who wa

y, what are you tryi

eggy, pointing

y a rolled-up bundle of pape

mething from another aut

idea that these papers have been dropped from Mr. Harding's car. It must have been the

tion of what its contents would prove to be, Peggy, with her rigid ideas of honor, could not have brought herself to do this

ck! The wonderful

bundle of thousand

ss-it's the sketches and plans of our aeroplane that M

ed them from their au

ks to me as if they had had a break-down, and were fixing it when the papers fell out and were le

e wheeled sharply and found herself facing two bloated-faced individuals, one of whom carried a heavy cudgel.

such luck ez this. Foun' suthin' vallerable, hev yer? Reckin' it must hev bin dropped by

ile Peggy, with a beating hea

ed in the first speaker's companion. "Come on, now. Fork over. You know it ain't ho

d Peggy boldly enough, despite her inward

d. You can't escape us. Come on, hand over them papers. We'll see that

er horror the two tramps followed instantly. Jess cowered b

gals give us ten bones a piece-the money don't mean

n came to Peggy-a f

cheerfully. "I'll be glad to give you the

at," and dived beneath it with one hand. The m

, are yer?" growled one o

s Peggy's hand withdrew from beneath the

ot a gun!" shouted one o

idst his rags and was just

-z-z-z-

in her hand, a fine stream of som

wl of agony. The other darted off without even looking at him. The air was filled with a pungent scent of

Whatever was that you used? I hope the poor ma

, "that we had under the seat an ammonia pistol for use on vicious dogs. I us

rried Harding and Mortlake. They both looked angry and blank. Peggy guessed at once that they had discovered their loss. But she resolved not t

s his car was slowed down by the chauffe

he?" whispered Jess. "Are y

d I? He tried to fasten a theft on my brother this morning, and then caps th

he road?" bawled old Mr. Harding

f that is what you mean," said Peggy sl

mean by that, hey? W

the cold rejoinder, and to avoid further questioning, Pegg

to his companion with a l

ed out. "What d'ye think of that? Fine young girls

re," rejoined Mortlake impatiently. "I don't think it's likely they could have se

t. Drive on, Tom. Drive us t

t just in time to see the two tramps

ave found them. I wouldn't lose those sketches for a tho

ahead. In a few chugs it had reached the tramps' sid

as the car came up, "if it ain't the self-s

outed Mortlake, almost flinging himself

nseled the hobo who had received the dose of ammon

fer?" asked this fellow cautiou

opped," panted Mortlake.

ted the red

choed th

y. If you are lying, it

came from ol

But we ain't got 'em.

Mortlake groaned. It was evident that neither of the tatterdermalions had the papers. B

s a favorable sign. One winked to th

ell yer where them pap

d Mortlake, while old

at's all this? W

he cunning reply. "I said wha

out a yellow

enough?"

rounded as they g

factory, guv'ner

papers, then?" snappe

ot jest went by in an

ha

d. We tried to convince her it was dishonest

e, handing over the bill to red eyes, who seemed to be the lead

we hangs our hats. My permanent ad

ave some work

Work's only fo

. If you want to talk it over, come to the Mortlake Aeroplane Factory,

Till then we'll bid yer 'oliver oil

up the road, while Mortlake t

de to our hand. We may

reply; "at least, they have put us in posses