CHAPTER XXIV.
DESERTED Mr.Swiper lost no time upon hearing Peter's startling announcement.
Rushing to the back of the car he confirmed the information by a frantically hurried inspection, keeping up a running fire of curses the while.

For a manual training teacher he was singularly profane.
Nor did he tarry to administer any corporeal rebukes, more than to send poor Peter reeling as he brushed him aside with imprecations in his flight.

Since the auto had been so generously handed to him by a kind boy scout, perhaps the loss of it was not such a shock as it might otherwise have been.

There were other autos.
Mr.Swiper saved himself and that was his chief concern.

He was not going to take any chances with Ham Sanders.