perched on a little knoll.

While he bent forward and seemed to be scanning the road ahead, so
as to avoid a collision in case they met another vehicle coming
the other way, Frank was again doing his best to conjure up some
wild plan that might promise him the desired chance to escape from
the company of these two desperate men.

He now had not the least doubt but that they were thieves of some
sort. What he had heard them say with reference to some person who
would not be apt to wake up for several hours, made him think
again of Doctor Shadduck.

The gentleman was a rich man, and accustomed to dealing in many
enterprises that necessitated the employment of considerable
means. Possibly these men had managed to hoodwink the capitalist
in some fashion, and when their opportunity came had run away
with something valuable belonging to him. They may even have used
some of the good doctor's chloroform, or other drugs, to put him in
a condition whereby he could not give the alarm or start a pursuit
for some hours.

It was really thrilling; but Frank had no desire to see anything
further of his unwelcome companions. He wished he had the nerve to
turn the car from the road; but the chances of being injured
himself discounted this desire.

Surely there ought to be some other way whereby he could say good-bye
in a hurry. They would not search long for him if he once got away.
Since Jim admitted that his arm was feeling better perhaps he would