"Could you tell where they were going?" asked Tom, scarcely hoping to
get an affirmative answer.

"Wa'al, th' man on th' seat pulled up when he see me," spoke the farmer
with exasperating slowness, "an' asked me how far it was t' th'
Waterville station, an' I told him."

"Why didn't you say so at first?" asked Tom quickly. "Why didn't you
tell us they were heading for the railroad?"

"You didn't ask me," replied the farmer. "What difference does it make."

"Every minute counts!" exclaimed the young inventor. "We want to keep
right after those fellows. Maybe the agent can tell us where they bought
tickets to, and we can trace them that way.

"Shouldn't wonder," commented the farmer. There ain't many trains out
from Waterville at that time of day, an' mighty few passengers.
Shouldn't wonder but Jake Applesauer could put ye on th' trail."

"Much obliged," called Tom. "Come on, Ned," and he started back in the
direction of the house where the kidnapping had taken place.

"That ain't th' way t' 'vaterville!" the farmer shouted after them.

"I know it, we're going to get our airship," answered Tom, and then he
heard the farmer mutter.

"Plumb crazy! That's what they be! Plumb crazy! Going after their
airship! Shouldn't wonder but they was escaped lunatics, and the other