When they went to bed that night they could hardly sleep, so elated were they over their discovery near the abandoned roadway.

“He must have been a pretty smart crook,” murmured Joe, after they had talked long into the night. “That idea about the wig was clever. I’ll bet he was an experienced guy!”

“The smarter they are, the harder they fall,” replied Frank. “It’s the experienced crook that the police always look for. If this fellow has any kind of a record at all it won’t take long for Dad to run him down. I’ve heard Dad say that there is no such thing as a clever crook. If he was really clever he wouldn’t be a crook at all.”

“Yes, I guess there’s something in that, too. But it shows that we’re not up against any ordinary amateur. This fellow must be a slippery customer.”

“He’ll have to be mighty slippery from now on. Once Dad has a few clues to work on he never lets up till he gets his man.”