"I'd certainly like to do something to help clear Mr. Robinson," said Frank. "It's pretty tough on Slim and his mother and sisters." "We probably won't be able to do very much. If dad can't clear him, I don't think we can help a great deal. But it's worth while trying." "It sure is. And I've had a hunch all along that we didn't investigate the wreck of that car closely enough." "Well, we'll make a thorough job of it this time." When the boys reached the scene of the wreck they found the smashed car just where they had seen it last. The tires had been taken and some of the accessories that had escaped destruction had been stripped from the automobile, but the car had been so badly smashed that there were few evidences of disturbance. Leaving their motorcycles by the side of the road, the lads plunged down into the bushes and busied themselves examining the wreckage. Joe hunted through the side pockets in the hope that there might be papers or some other means of identification, but in this he was disappointed. There were no license plates, but Frank managed to secure the engine number, and this he jotted down in a notebook he carried. "Perhaps this will give us a clue. Although I have an idea that the fellow got this car in the same way he got Chet's. It's probably a stolen automobile." For a time they rummaged around among the wreckage without success. Then, at last, Frank gave a low cry. "Here's something!" he exclaimed. "Look!" Joe came over to where he was standing, and Frank plucked something from the front seat of the wrecked car. "Red hair!" In his hand Frank held a small tuft of vivid red hair. It was very coarse in texture, and the surprising part of it was that the hairs were not separate but were attached to a sort of tough linen. "Why, it's part of a wig!" said Frank, examining the hair more closely. "You're right," agreed his brother. "No human hair ever grew like that." "Part of the fellow's wig was torn when the car was smashed up!" "And that explains why Harrity and his witness couldn't agree on the color of the fellow's hair!" exclaimed Joe, in excitement. "I see it now! The man didn't wear the wig when he held up the steamboat office, and the minute he reached the car he put it on again. That explains why Brown saw a red-haired man driving away in Chet's roadster and why Harrity was positive that man wasn't red-headed." "That's a _real_ clue!" exclaimed Joe. "We ought to tell dad about this." "And we will, too," said Frank, beginning to scramble through the bushes back toward the road.