Page:Boys of Columbia High on the River.djvu/57

Rh and they've gone and hidden that shell! They wouldn't dare smash it, for that would be a penitentiary offense. But even if it shows up in a day or two that will be too late; for in our old boat we would have no chance to come in ahead of Clifford or Bellport."

"That's it, eh? Well, all I can say is that it's a mighty small-minded boy who will go back on his own school and town. And if I can find out who did this I'll feel like having the scamps arrested. But where do you suppose they could have hidden the boat?" asked the agent.

"That's something to be found out. It wasn't taken out of the crate or else the packing would be lying around here. They carried the whole thing away bodily. That means they had a wagon, or else there were quite a number in the plot," remarked Frank, as he let his eyes wander about.

"Here's where it lay last night," continued Brierly, as he led the way to the platform where freight was usually left out, protected by an open roof; "and there might have been a wagon here, but it didn't back up. How do I know? Because you can see the marks of an automibleautomobile [sic] here; a friend came and took me off last evening in his car, and left that track."

"I see what you mean—there is no wheel mark across it. And that gives me the idea that a gang