folks along the road, don't it? And the neighbors would have
passed the gossip with me, wouldn't they?"

"Didn't you see any officers coming from this way?" asked Dick.

"Nary one," rejoined the farmer. "Only fellers that passed me,
coming from this direction, was two young dudes---I sh'd say about
your ages. They was in a high-toned speed wagon-----"

"Automobile?" asked Reade.

"Said so, didn't I?" drawled the farmer. "Them dudes looked mighty
tickled about something. They was laughin' a whole lot and looked
mighty well pleased with themselves. Do you reckon they was
any friends of your'n, trying to have fun with you?"

"I can't recall any friends who would try to put up such a pleasant
surprise for us," said Dick dryly, as he slipped down to the ground.
"What did the fellows in the automobile look like, sir?"

That farmer possessed well-developed powers of observation, as
was proved by the minute descriptions he gave of the two young
men.

Dick's chums, who had now joined him at the roadside, looked puzzled.
Then light dawned in Tom's eyes.

"Jupiter!" cried Reade. "If it weren't that they're not in this
part of the country, I'd say that the pair were Dodge and Bayliss!"