"You know that all our investigation only pointed to two persons, Jack and Bill, and their assistant, Hank Handcraft." A short time later Merritt, Tubby and the Digbys being left behind on the landing, a high powered car, containing Rob, his father, Commodore Wingate and the chief of police of Hampton shot out on to the road leading to the farm owned by Jack Curtiss' father.

Inquiry at the Bender home had already developed the fact that Jack and Bill had left there hurriedly a short time before, saying they were going out to the Curtiss place.

The party was doomed to disappointment, however, so far as the hope of catching Jack or his accomplices at the farm was concerned.

Old Mr.Curtiss informed them that his son had taken the family buggy and driven furiously off down the road with Bill Bender a short time before.
"He got a hundred dollars from me," explained the old man simply, "he told me he was goin' ter invest it in some rich mining stock his friend Bender had promoted but--what's the matter, gentlemen," he broke off, noticing the half-pitying look on the faces of the men in the automobile.

Mr.Blake hurriedly explained the attempted extortion of which Jack had been guilty.
"What, Jack--my son!" exclaimed the old man in half daze at the stunning intelligence, "my boy Jack do a thing like that?
Why, it can't be true.