CHAPTER XIII

A FRIEND IN NEED


"Do you want me to let you into a secret?" Pee-wee said. "I know where
there's a stolen automobile. Maybe you'd like to help me take it back to
its owner, hey? If you do you'll get an honourable mention in our
troop-book. I was carried away in it by two thieves who didn't know I
was in the car, because I was disguised, sort of, under the buffalo
robe. Do you want to help me foil them?"

The manual training teacher seemed interested but a bit incredulous. He
looked Pee-wee over and said, "what's all this?"

"Maybe you don't believe me but it's true," Pee-wee said. "Do you know
how to run a car?"

"Anything from a flivver up," said the stranger.

"Shh," said Pee-wee, "this one is away, way up. It's a super six
Hunkajunk, it belongs to a man where I live, in Bridgeboro, New Jersey."

"Well, what are you doing here?" the manual training teacher asked.

"I was kind of kidnapped accidentally. They did it but they didn't know
it. They've got pistols and blackjacks and things and I heard them talk
about stealing. I bet I'd have heard a lot more only my head was under
the buffalo robe. If you'll help me we can circum--what do you call