“That’s right!” agreed his chums, and Jerry, having secured the boat, started for the office of the family lawyer, to make a formal complaint against Noddy.
As he was about to enter he saw Andy Rush hurrying along.
“He looks as if he had some news,” mused the tall lad. “Hello, Andy!” he greeted. “What’s up?”
“Noddy Nixon packed up to-day, and he and Bill Berry left town in a hurry.”
“They did?” cried Jerry. “I wonder if he heard about the complaint I was going to make against him.”
“I don’t know,” answered Andy. “But I happened to be down at the station when he and Bill took the train. And their baggage was checked for some place in Montana.”
“Montana!” cried Jerry. “Are you sure of this, Andy?”
“Of course I am!” exclaimed the small chap.
“Then he’s heard something about the sixty nuggets of gold!” murmured Jerry. “He’s going to have a try for them. We’ve got to get ahead of him!”
“Well, there’s no use going in now,” said Jerry, after a pause.
“To consult our lawyer. I was going to see about making a complaint against Noddy. But what’s the use, if he’s skipped out?”
“Maybe he heard what you were going to do,” suggested the small chap.
“No,” answered the tall lad, “I didn’t tell anyone, except Ned and Bob. I guess Noddy left because--well, because he wanted to,” he concluded quickly, for Andy Rush did not know of the prospective journey of the motor boys. In fact, their intention to seek for the gold was kept as quiet as possible, for they realized how such rumors spread.
So, as a matter of fact, only the boys, the two Westerners, and the parents of our heroes, knew of the proposed trip.
“That is unless Noddy has overheard something, and suspects,” murmured Jerry, as he turned back toward home. “And it looks as if he had from the way he hurried off. And to Montana, too! What part of Montana was his baggage checked to?” he asked, of Andy.
“I couldn’t make out the tags very well, but the last part of the name was ‘Spell,’” spoke the excitable youth.
“Spell--spell,” murmured Jerry. “I have it--the town of Kabspell--it’s near Flathead Lake, and we were counting on sending our airship there to make the start! Noddy has gotten on to our plans somehow!”
“What’s that?” asked Andy, quickly, for Jerry was half talking to himself.