that it was a funny hour of the night for a track to be out."
"The Shore Road, eh? Did you get a good look at them?"
The boys were embarrassed.
"Well, to tell the truth," said Frank hesitatingly, "we didn't exactly see them. We heard them."
"Hm! You didn't see them, but you heard them, and you were on the Shore Road. That's a little mystery in itself," remarked their father, with a smile.
He reached for the telephone and asked for a number. In a short time his party answered.
"Hello, Chief. This is Fenton Hardy speaking. . . . Yes. . . . I've just had information that the big car and the truck went out the Shore Road way a few minutes before ten o'clock. . . . Yes. . . . You've made inquiries? . . . I see. . . . That's strange, isn't it? . . . Yes, my information is quite reliable. . . . All right. . . . Let me know if you hear anything. . . . Don't mention it. . . . Thank you, Chief. . . . Good-bye."
He put down the telephone.
"I was talking to Chief Collig. He says the three towns at the other end of the Shore Road were notified immediately after the thefts were discovered and that they had officers watching the roads from ten o'clock on."
