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.Sandy smiled back at him."Sure-you know us.But just one-and only if youwon't boil over at it.We really-""I know," Ralph cut in."You really believe every word I say.""That's right," Ken said."We do.""These headlights you saw"-Sandy began-"could you tell anything at all aboutthe car behind them?""Look, sleuths," Ralph said patiently, "you drive- both of you.If you were tocome up to the top of a hill and suddenly see headlights coming right at you,would you take the time to try to find out what kind of car they were attachedto? Or would you concentrate on trying to avoid a collision?""Meaning," Sandy said, "that you never really saw the car itself?"EXPLODED THEORY 65"You could certainly put it that way," Ralph agreed."They could have been thelights on a witch's broomstick, for all I could tell."The boys exchanged a quick glance.Ralph caught it and laughed."Don't worry," he said."I'm not really losing mygrip.I don't believe in witches' broomsticks, with or without headlights.Iknow there was a car behind those lights even though I couldn't see it."Another quick glance flashed between the two boys.Sandy nodded in answer toKen's unspoken question."I know nobody agrees with us," Ken said slowly, "but would you assume justfor a minute, Ralph, that somebody wanted to drive you off the road? And wouldyou tell us whether the lights you saw could have been attached-not to a carat all-but to a rod held by a man hiding behind that warning sign there? He'dhave been in no danger himself, but he could have driven you into the gullyjust as surely as if he'd been there with a car."Ralph took out a cigarette and lit it before he answered."Not a chance," hesaid finally."I'm absolutely certain of that.I agree it's a smart theory,but I know it didn't happen like that.You see, those lights weren't standingstill.They were moving toward me.They were traveling at least as fast as Iwas going myself."His jaw tightened briefly, as if he were reliving that moment."No, sir," hePage 27 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlrepeated."Not a chance.Those lights weren't sitting there on a stick.Theywere coming right at me, getting bigger and bigger every second!"CHAPTER VIIGRANGER ISSUES A WARNINGthe boys watched Ralph walk away.His last words seemed to hang heavily in theair behind him."There goes one fine theory," Sandy said glumly."I suppose we have to take his word for it," Ken said reluctantly."If he saysthe lights were moving, they must have been moving.""Sure," Sandy agreed."Any man who's driven as many miles as Ralph hascouldn't be wrong about a thing like that.I suppose, if we had any brains,we'd have asked him that question earlier.""I suppose so." Ken jerked the wheel around to continue toward the Advanceoffice."But I still think some kind of trick was worked," he said stubbornly."Maybe so," Sandy agreed."But we're as far from knowing what it was as wewere yesterday." He grinned briefly."Anyway, I'm glad we didn't tell Pop andBert about our theory before Ralph put the damper on it.You can imagine whatthey'd have said!"Ken parked the car behind the office and they walked in through the shop,entering the office through the rear door.66GRANGER ISSUES A WARNING 67There was a stranger seated in the visitor's chair beside Pop's desk, and asPop saw the boys, he said to his guest, "Now you can meet the rest of ourstaff."He motioned to Ken and Sandy, and when they approached, he said, "This isSandy, my younger son, and this is Ken Holt.Boys, this is Mr.RandolphButton, new owner of the Conner Trucking Company.I'm sure we all want to doeverything we can to help him succeed."As he spoke the last words he flashed the boys a warning glance-a glance thatordered them to be on their good behavior."I'm glad to know you both." Dutton picked his short plump figure off thechair and extended his hand to each of them in turn."I always say it's asmart move to get to know the Press right away." His round face broadened in agrin."Mort Conner brought Mr.Dutton over because he wants to run an ad announcingthe new ownership," Pop said, and again he seemed to be warning the boys to becourteous to Dutton for Ralph's sake."It's certainly too bad about that lad and his brother," Dutton said with asigh."They're fine young men and it's easy to see how hard they worked tobuild up their business.Of course I'm grateful for the opportunity to buy itat a price I can afford, but I can't help but feel I'm taking advantage ofthem.""No reason for you to feel that way," Pop said."Things being what they arethe Conners were lucky to find a purchaser so quickly.""I was wondering about that." Ken's voice was innocent but he was careful tokeep his eyes turned away68 THE CLUE OF THE PHANTOM CARfrom Pop."How did you and the Conners get together so fast?""Just one of those things," Button said cheerfully."I used to be a truckermyself, up to two years ago.My two sons and I had worked up a nice littlebusiness.But my doctor told me to stop." He tapped his chest."Heart, youknow."Sandy's voice too was innocent [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.Sandy smiled back at him."Sure-you know us.But just one-and only if youwon't boil over at it.We really-""I know," Ralph cut in."You really believe every word I say.""That's right," Ken said."We do.""These headlights you saw"-Sandy began-"could you tell anything at all aboutthe car behind them?""Look, sleuths," Ralph said patiently, "you drive- both of you.If you were tocome up to the top of a hill and suddenly see headlights coming right at you,would you take the time to try to find out what kind of car they were attachedto? Or would you concentrate on trying to avoid a collision?""Meaning," Sandy said, "that you never really saw the car itself?"EXPLODED THEORY 65"You could certainly put it that way," Ralph agreed."They could have been thelights on a witch's broomstick, for all I could tell."The boys exchanged a quick glance.Ralph caught it and laughed."Don't worry," he said."I'm not really losing mygrip.I don't believe in witches' broomsticks, with or without headlights.Iknow there was a car behind those lights even though I couldn't see it."Another quick glance flashed between the two boys.Sandy nodded in answer toKen's unspoken question."I know nobody agrees with us," Ken said slowly, "but would you assume justfor a minute, Ralph, that somebody wanted to drive you off the road? And wouldyou tell us whether the lights you saw could have been attached-not to a carat all-but to a rod held by a man hiding behind that warning sign there? He'dhave been in no danger himself, but he could have driven you into the gullyjust as surely as if he'd been there with a car."Ralph took out a cigarette and lit it before he answered."Not a chance," hesaid finally."I'm absolutely certain of that.I agree it's a smart theory,but I know it didn't happen like that.You see, those lights weren't standingstill.They were moving toward me.They were traveling at least as fast as Iwas going myself."His jaw tightened briefly, as if he were reliving that moment."No, sir," hePage 27 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlrepeated."Not a chance.Those lights weren't sitting there on a stick.Theywere coming right at me, getting bigger and bigger every second!"CHAPTER VIIGRANGER ISSUES A WARNINGthe boys watched Ralph walk away.His last words seemed to hang heavily in theair behind him."There goes one fine theory," Sandy said glumly."I suppose we have to take his word for it," Ken said reluctantly."If he saysthe lights were moving, they must have been moving.""Sure," Sandy agreed."Any man who's driven as many miles as Ralph hascouldn't be wrong about a thing like that.I suppose, if we had any brains,we'd have asked him that question earlier.""I suppose so." Ken jerked the wheel around to continue toward the Advanceoffice."But I still think some kind of trick was worked," he said stubbornly."Maybe so," Sandy agreed."But we're as far from knowing what it was as wewere yesterday." He grinned briefly."Anyway, I'm glad we didn't tell Pop andBert about our theory before Ralph put the damper on it.You can imagine whatthey'd have said!"Ken parked the car behind the office and they walked in through the shop,entering the office through the rear door.66GRANGER ISSUES A WARNING 67There was a stranger seated in the visitor's chair beside Pop's desk, and asPop saw the boys, he said to his guest, "Now you can meet the rest of ourstaff."He motioned to Ken and Sandy, and when they approached, he said, "This isSandy, my younger son, and this is Ken Holt.Boys, this is Mr.RandolphButton, new owner of the Conner Trucking Company.I'm sure we all want to doeverything we can to help him succeed."As he spoke the last words he flashed the boys a warning glance-a glance thatordered them to be on their good behavior."I'm glad to know you both." Dutton picked his short plump figure off thechair and extended his hand to each of them in turn."I always say it's asmart move to get to know the Press right away." His round face broadened in agrin."Mort Conner brought Mr.Dutton over because he wants to run an ad announcingthe new ownership," Pop said, and again he seemed to be warning the boys to becourteous to Dutton for Ralph's sake."It's certainly too bad about that lad and his brother," Dutton said with asigh."They're fine young men and it's easy to see how hard they worked tobuild up their business.Of course I'm grateful for the opportunity to buy itat a price I can afford, but I can't help but feel I'm taking advantage ofthem.""No reason for you to feel that way," Pop said."Things being what they arethe Conners were lucky to find a purchaser so quickly.""I was wondering about that." Ken's voice was innocent but he was careful tokeep his eyes turned away68 THE CLUE OF THE PHANTOM CARfrom Pop."How did you and the Conners get together so fast?""Just one of those things," Button said cheerfully."I used to be a truckermyself, up to two years ago.My two sons and I had worked up a nice littlebusiness.But my doctor told me to stop." He tapped his chest."Heart, youknow."Sandy's voice too was innocent [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]