Many more than two thousand people had crowded to the "Blade's" show window to catch a glimpse of the exhibits described in the rollicking news story.
"Pshaw! Dodge and Bayliss, the heroes!" shouted one man in the crowd, as he ran his eye through the story.
"Punk heroes!" answered someone else in the crowd.
The story was cleverly told.

Dodge and Bayliss were not mentioned by name, but described only as a pair of amateur jokers whose plans had miscarried.

Yet the plain, unvarnished story cast complete ridicule over Bert and his friend.
While the fever of the reading crowd was at its height someone shouted: "Here they come now!" Bert and Bayliss had just driven around the corner in the car.
During the last three hours both had slept at Bert's, but now they were out and abroad again in order to hear the latest developments.
Suddenly a hush fell over the crowd.

Bert and Bayliss were allowed to drive in silence to the curb.
Then, just as suddenly, a dozen men leaped at the car, dragging both youths to the sidewalk.
"Wha-a-at's wrong ?" faltered Bert Dodge.
"We'll soon show you!" came the jeering answer of the captors.
Then a mighty shout of derision went up from the crowd..