“That’s true.” “In a general way, then, you think there are at least two men and one woman in this gang?” “The cases reported convince me of that,” bowed Weston. “That picture shows the woman, moreover, though two men are mentioned in the majority of robberies reported.” “Are the men always masked?” “No, not always. The woman is invariably veiled, however, and the descriptions of the men indicate a frequent change of disguise.” “That is to be expected,” said Nick. “Now, about the automobile used by the knaves. Have any attempts been made to follow it or to trace it?” “Repeated attempts, Nick, all of which have proved futile.” “Has none of the victims been able to report its registered number?” “We have had a dozen different numbers reported,” replied Chief Weston; “but investigation showed that all of them were fictitious.” “Yet the crooks might be located, chief, if the make of the automobile were known,” suggested Nick. “That should have been easily learned by some of these people.” Chief Weston shook his head. “That would be true, Nick, providing the scamps always used the same machine,” said he. “Half a score of different automobiles have been reported as having been used by these knaves at the time of the numerous hold-ups.” “H’m!” grunted Nick, with a shrug of his broad shoulders. “Evidently, then, these crooks have considerable money invested in their rascally enterprise.” “It certainly appears so.” “How about the horses ridden by them?” Nick next inquired. “Can the owner of none of them be discovered?” “In the few cases in which persons have been held up by a horseman,” replied Weston, “the highwayman has usually been alone. According to the description given, moreover, he has as many horses as automobiles, for he has appeared on grays, bays, blacks, and sorrels.” Nick laughed at the glibness with which the last was said. “It seems a bit odd to me, Weston, that none of your men have been able to get on the track of these desperadoes,” he presently rejoined. “It is not often that a gang of highwaymen can long escape detection and arrest, when at work in and about a city like Boston.” “They are not ordinary knaves, Nick,” emphatically declared Chief Weston. “If they were, we should have landed them long ago.” “Where do these robberies usually occur?” “Generally in some lonely part of a suburban road, though several have taken place in the evening, right in the heart of Brookline, Cambridge, and Newton,” replied Weston. “It is evident that the crooks select their victims from the more wealthy suburbs, presumably with a view to obtaining the more plunder.” “How do they usually proceed?”