Dave Dashaway and his Hydroplane | Page 9

machine and Hiram followed him. They passed through the gates of a large garden. In its center was a mansion with wide porches. No light showed anywhere about the place.
"You're not going to wake anybody up at this outlandish hour?" asked Hiram.
"Well, perhaps not," answered Dave.
"Why didn't you wait and see this Col. Lyon in the city at his office?"
"Because there is no certainty that he will be at his office today. Then, too, that Star fellow may be on hand there to grab the contract. I want to head him off."
By this time they had reached the steps of the front porch.
"See here, Hiram," observed Dave, lowering his voice, "we'll sit down here for a spell. It's about five o'clock, and by six someone will be stirring about."
"Say," said Hiram, staring across the shadowed porch, "the front door there is open."
"Why, so it is," replied Dave, peering towards it.
"That's strange, isn't it?"
"Oh, no--neglected, or left open for ventilation."
Both boys relapsed into silence. Hiram rested his face on his hands and his knees, inclined to doze.
Dave was framing up in his mind how he would approach Col. Lyon. He was deeply immersed in thought, when a sound behind him caused him to start and look behind him.
Somebody with a great bundle done up in a sheet had just passed through the open doorway out upon the porch.
The bundle was so big that its bearer had both hands clasped about it, and its top came above his eyes.
Before Dave could speak a warning, the man carrying the package crossed the porch and stumbled against Hiram, whom he did not see.
"Thunder! what's this?" shouted Hiram, knocked from his position and rolling down the steps.
The man with the bundle echoed the try with one of alarm, as he missed his footing and plunged forward.
"The mischief!" exclaimed Dave, starting at the bundle over which the man tumbled, bursting it open.
There was an immense clatter. Even in the imperfect light of the early morning, the young aviator made out a great heap of clothing, silverware and jewelry, rattling down the steps of the porch.

CHAPTER V
A TEN THOUSAND DOLLAR ORDER
"What's happened?" cried Hiram, rolling over and over on the gravel walk to which he had tumbled.
"Stop that man!" shouted Dave.
In a flash the young aviator took in the meaning of the situation. The fugitive, for such he now was, made a quick move the instant he gained his feet. Not waiting to see who had obstructed his progress, and probably deciding that it was the police, he bounded in among some bushes.
Dave, running after him, made out his form dimly, swiftly scaling a rear brick wall.
"Why, what is all this?" demanded Hiram, staring at the litter on the steps.
"That man was a thief," explained Dave.
"It looks that way, doesn't it? Hello!"
Both boys stepped back and stared upwards. Over the porch was a second railed-in veranda. A night-robed figure had crossed it from some bed chamber fronting upon it.
"Hey, you down there! What's all this racket?" challenged this newcomer on the scene.
"Are you Colonel Lyon?" inquired Dave.
"That's me."
"Then you had better come down and see what's going on."
"Why so?"
"Your house has been burglarized."
"Gracious I you don't say so. Where is the thief?"
"He has escaped."
"Hm. Down in a minute," mumbled the man, retiring from view.
It was several minutes before the owner of the mansion put in a second appearance. He came cautiously out on the porch, clutching a great heavy cane. He looked the boys over suspiciously.
"I don't understand this," he began.
"Neither did we, Mister," returned Hiram, "till the thief came bolting out through that front door. He fell all over me and dropped his bundle. There's what was in it."
Hiram pointed to the scattered plunder. For the first time the colonel caught sight of the scattered stuff. He gasped, and stared, and fidgeted. Then he hastened back across the porch and into the vestibule.
Clang! clang! Clang! rang out a great alarm gong, and almost immediately two men servants of the place came rushing out half-dressed upon the porch.
In a very much excited way the colonel incoherently told of the burglary. He ordered the men to gather up the scattered plunder. Then he turned his attention to Dave and Hiram.
"Now, tell me about the whole thing," he spoke.
"There isn't much to tell, Colonel Lyon," replied Dave. "We were sitting here waiting--"
"Waiting?" repeated the showman sharply.
"Yes, sir."
"What for?"
"To see you."
"Eh?" projected the Colonel, with a stare.
"That's right, Mister," declared Hiram. "You see, it's pretty early, and we didn't want to wake you up."
"Yes, but what brought you here so early?"
"Business," answered Dave.
"Business--with me?"
"Yes, sir. We came in an automobile from the city, so as to be sure to find you early enough. We had just settled down here to wait and rest, when that burglar came out."
"Why, then, you've