It was getting rather late, and Joe and Jim said good-night to the others and sought their berths.
They were up and abroad earlier than usual the next morning, for the matter of the automobile accident promised to engross all the time they could spare from the game.
Reggie was able to find out for them the place at which Fleming was putting up in Boston. Having ascertained from the clerk that he was still staying there, the next thing was to get hold of Louis Anderson.
Jim hurried up to the address the old man had given them. It was in a humble neighborhood, but the three rooms in which Anderson and his wife were living were neat and clean.
Jim did not want to raise false hopes, in the light of the imperfect information he had. So he told Anderson that he thought he had a clue, though he was not at all sure, as to the men who had run him down.
“Do you think you would be able to recognize the man who was driving, if you should see him?” Jim inquired.
“I’m sure I could,” answered Anderson. “He was on the side nearest me and I got a good look at his face just as the car bore down on me.”
“That’s good,” replied Jim. “Now if you’ll get ready and jump in with me, we’ll go down to where Mr. Matson is.”
The old man complied eagerly, and they were soon on their way down town.
Joe, in the meantime, had hovered in the vicinity of the telephone, waiting impatiently for the long distance call.
“Is this Mr. Matson?” the voice inquired. “Good morning, Mr. Matson. This is Belden talking. I called up just now at the registry office and found that the number of Mr. Beckworth Fleming’s car is 36754. Did you get that? 3-6-7-5-4. Yes, that’s it. Not at all, Mr. Matson. Don’t mention it. Glad to be of service. Hope you win to-day. Good-bye.”
Joe stared at the number that he had jotted down as Belden had called it off. 36754. There were the two figures, 7 and 4, the 7 coming first as he remembered.
It was not proof. But it was corroboration, enough, anyway, to justify the audacious bluff that he had in mind.
Jim returned shortly afterward with Louis Anderson, who greeted Joe, gratefully.
“It’s an awful lot of trouble you two young men are putting yourselves to for me,” he declared in a grateful voice.