"If old Crabtree hasn't been caught yet me must see if we can't round him up." CHAPTER III A USELESS HUNT "Say, that's the talk!" cried Tom, quickly. "I hadn't thought of that,--but it's just what we ought to do." "It won't be easy, Tom," said his younger brother. "The chances are that Crabtree has made good use of his time. He may be hundreds of miles away--bound for the West or the South, or Canada or Europe." "Well, we can have a try at finding him, anyway," put in Dick. "Sometimes a criminal sticks close to the jail until the excitement is over, Look at those fellows who escaped from jail in New York City not long ago. The detectives thought they had gone to Chicago or St. Louis, and all the while they were on the East Side, right in New York!" "Oh, my! but wouldn't I just like to land on old Crabtree!" muttered Tom. "I think I'd be apt to put him in the hospital first and jail afterwards! He certainly deserves it--for all the trouble he has caused us and our--er--friends." "'Friends' is good, with Dick engaged to marry Dora and you as good as engaged to Nellie," snorted Sam "Precisely, and you and Grace making goo-goo eyes at each other," added Tom, with a wink at his younger brother. Then he quickly changed the subject. "Dick, do you think you can strike a straight course for Plankville?" "I'll try it," was the answer. "I don't think I'll go much out of the way." The Dartaway had a powerful motor, and once on the right trail the eldest Rover advanced his gasoline and spark, and they went rushing through the air at express-train speed. The boys were provided with face guards, so they did not mind this. They did not fly high, and so kept the railroad and other familiar objects fairly well in view. They passed over several villages, the inhabitants gazing up at them in open-mouthed wonder, and finally came in sight of a big church spire that they knew belonged in Plankville. Then Dick slowed down the engine, and soon they floated down in an open field close to the main street and not a great distance from the sheriff's office and the jail. "Well, it certainly didn't take long to get here," cried Tom, as he consulted his watch. A man who lived close by was approaching and he readily agreed, for a small amount, to guard the biplane. "Have they caught those men who escaped from the jail?" asked Sam, of the man. "Got two on 'em," was the reply. "Dacker and Penfield." "What of Crabtree?" asked Dick. "Nuthin' doin', up to an hour ago. The sheriff is out with about ten men, lookin' fer him." "Then there is no use of our going to the sherif's office," said Dick to his brothers "We'll go right to the jail." "Will they let us in?" asked Sam. "In the office, yes. We won't want to go to the cells," answered Dick, with a short laugh.