Into the store Tom burst, and made a rush for the 'phone booth. He
threw open the door. The place was empty!
"The man--the man who was telephoning!" Tom called to the
proprietor of the place.
"You mean that big man, with the tall hat, who was in there so
long?"
"Yes, where is he?"
"Gone. About two minutes ago."
"Which way?"
"Over toward Shopton, and in one of the fastest autos that ever
scattered dust in this section."
"He's escaped us!" said Tom to Ned. "But we'll get him yet! Come
on!"
"I'm with you. Say, do you know what this looks like to me?"
"What?"
"It looks as if Peters was scared and was going to run away to
stay!"
CHAPTER XXIII
ON THE TRAIL
Such a crowd had quickly gathered about Tom's airship that it was
impossible to start it. Men and boys, and even some girls and
women, coming from no one knew where, stood about the machine,
making wondering remarks about it.
"Stand back, if you please!" cried Tom, good-naturedly. "We've
got to get after the fellow in the auto."
"You'll have hard work catching him, friend, in that rig,"
remarked a man. "He was fracturing all the speed laws ever passed.
I reckon he was going nigh onto sixty miles an hour."
"We can make a hundred," spoke Ned, quietly.
"A hundred! Get out!" cried the man. "Nothing can go as fast as
that!"
"We'll show you, if we once get started," said Tom.
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