"We're getting a reputation already," whispered Innis.
"I haven't said a word," retorted that youth. "You fellows must have been talking."
Gradually the crowd thinned out, and the three chums found themselves walking along a rather dark country road toward the garage where the _Last Word_ had been left.
For a while they talked among themselves of the adventures of the day, and then a silence settled down. They were all tired and anxious to get to bed.
"Is that some one ahead of us, or behind us?" suddenly asked Dick, coming to a halt.
"Walk on a bit and then listen," suggested Dick.
"There is some one sort of keeping time to our footsteps, fellows," spoke Paul a little later.
"But are they ahead or behind us?" asked Dick. "I've been hearing it for some time."
The three came to a halt in the roadway and listened. This time, instead of the footsteps becoming silent, they were more plain.
"No, you're going the wrong way," replied Dick. "Centreville is behind you."
"Huh! That's funny!" some one remarked. "We must be all twisted up. Wait a second, will you," and from the darkness could be heard footsteps quickly approaching.
It was the voice of one of those who were approaching our hero and his two chums, they having come to a halt at the request for information.
"Oh, what does it matter?" some one else asked, and then Dick could see that three men were hurrying toward them out of the darkness.
"I just wanted to see how late it was," went on the one who had apparently spoken first. "Sorry to trouble you," he added, "but we're strangers here, and we seem to have lost our way."
"It's no trouble--if we can direct you," said the young millionaire. "We're strangers here ourselves."
"It's a little after eleven," announced Paul, looking at his watch as well as he could by the starlight. As he spoke one of the men made a sudden motion toward him.
"Not him! The other!" some one exclaimed sharply.
Before the three knew what was happening they were seized by the three men--seized and roughly mauled.
"Here! What does this mean?" demanded Dick, hotly, as he struck out vigorously.
"It's a hold-up!" yelled Innis. "Lay into 'em, fellows!"
"Let go of me!" insisted Paul, as he swung himself loose from his antagonist and dealt him a stinging blow that staggered the fellow.