“Most likely the same old story—­ that dad is crazy,” answered Tom.  “That’s Crabtree’s favorite game.”

They had just turned a curve in the road and come in sight of a low, rambling tavern, when they saw a big touring car of the enclosed pattern coming towards them.  To avoid the machine, which was being driven rapidly, they leaped to the side of the road.

As the touring car came closer, they saw that two men sat on the front seat,—­ the driver and a man who had his hat pulled far down over his face and his coat collar turned up.

“Look!” yelled Tom, pointing to the man beside the driver.

“Look into the car!” yelled Sam.

The automobile rolled on, lost to sight in less than a minute, around the bend of the road.  It was headed in the direction of New York City.

“The man on the front seat with the driver was Pelter!” exclaimed Tom.

“And dad was inside the car!” gasped Sam.

“You are right,” returned Dick.  “And Crabtree and another man was with him.  Dad looked as if he had his hands bound behind him.”

“What shall we do now?”

“How can we follow that car?”

“How did they get that auto so quick?”

“I think I know how they got the auto,” said the oldest Rover boy, after a pause.  “There must be a garage at the tavern.  Come on and see.  Maybe we can get another auto and follow that car!”

CHAPTER XXI

 Captain Rodney’s testimony

It was raining steadily when the three Rover boys reached the Blue Horseshoe Tavern, an ancient hostelry standing at the junction of two main roads.  In the rear was a barn, and a big carriage shed which had been converted into a garage.  The youths headed for the latter place and entered quickly, to get out of the downpour.

A colored man came forward to see what they wanted.

“Can we hire a car here, and at once?” questioned Dick.

“Sorry, boss, but we ain’t got no car in jest now,” answered the colored man.  “I expect one back in about an hour.”

“The car that just went out?” demanded Tom.

“Yes, sah.”

“Can’t you get us any sort of a car?” pleaded Sam.

“Ain’t got nuffin’ in ‘ceptin’ a roadster, an’ that won’t run—­ sumthin’ the matter with the carburetor.”

“Are you sure that other car will be back in an hour?” demanded Dick.

“I think so.  The gents as took it said they didn’t want to go more than ten miles.”

“All right, we’ll wait till the car gets back,” answered Dick, struck with a sudden idea.

“But, Dick, we’ll lose valuable time,” whispered Sam.

“Perhaps not, Sam.  If we got a car now we wouldn’t know where to go.  If that driver comes back and takes us——­”

“Oh, I see.”

“Fine!” murmured Tom.

“You call us as soon as that car shows itself,” said Dick, to the colored man.  “We’ll be in the tavern.”