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 seem important. After I'd settled down again that night I heard the floor up-stairs creak twice. I wasn't just certain then, but now I am! Elk Thurston was moving about up there, Laurie!"

"Well, what if he was? That doesn't prove—" He stopped and frowned intently. "Hold on, though, Ned! What about Elk's wrist?"

"We've got it!" cried Ned.

"Yes, maybe. Let's go slow, though. You don't happen to know whether Elk can drive a car, do you?"

"No, but I'll bet you anything you like that he tried to drive that one! Look here, our window was open and it was easy to reach. He couldn't have made his own without chancing a fall. He trusted to our being asleep. He—"

"What about the other fellow, though?" asked Laurie. "We didn't see—"

"No, but maybe he got in first. Maybe it was really he who awoke us. Come to think of it, you said that when you woke up the fellow's head was just coming into sight. Well, in that case there wouldn't have been enough noise—"

"By jiminy, that's so! Bet you that's what