For the first fifty miles of the trip the roads were hard-surfaced and Tim sped along at a fast pace, the long, powerful coupe eating up the miles. But after that it was harder going. The roads were poorly marked and badly rutted. Tim was forced to drive well under thirty miles an hour and as he neared the valley the country grew more rugged, the road turning and twisting, climbing laboriously up one hill and then skidding down another. He lost almost half an hour when he ran into a local shower and had to get out and put on the chains. Once or twice the big coupe skidded badly but he managed to hold it on to the road. At dawn he was deep into the valley of the Cedar, the narrow road was dry again, and he took off the chains. There was no bridge across the Cedar at Auburn and Tim pulled the coupe up on the left bank of the river and waited for the arrival of the ramshackle ferry. It was seven o'clock before the old barge, powered by an automobile engine, paddled its way across the broad stream and nosed up to the landing stage. "How much to go across?" asked Tim. "Dollar for a car that size," replied the riverman. Tim handed over the fee and drove the coupe aboard. The engine of the ferry sputtered and then settled down to its task as the paddles flashed in the morning sunlight. "Business been pretty good?" Tim asked. "Only fair. Usually don't get anyone on the morning trip but yesterday I had a car almost as large as yours." Here was what Tim had been fishing for. He was on the right trail and a few more questions assured him that Grenville Ford had driven directly to Auburn after leaving Atkinson. When the ferry docked on the Auburn side, Tim went to the general store. He was known there for, two years before, he had helped save the village, marooned by a flood, by bringing food and needed medicine. At the store he learned that Ford had stored his car in the village, rented a boat with an outboard motor, laid in a supply of food and a tent, and started down river the day before. "Have any idea where he was going?" asked Tim. "He didn't seem to want to say much about himself," said the storekeeper. "Appeared to be one of those close-mouthed fellows." Tim went across the street to the village's one hotel and there obtained an excellent breakfast. Greatly refreshed, he went down to the river bank to make more inquiries. In front of one shanty was the sign, "BOATS FOR RENT," and to this place Tim went at once. The owner was a white-haired riverman and when Tim introduced himself, he found the boatman willing to talk. "I remember the fellow well," said the riverman, "but he didn't say where he was going. Just asked to rent a boat for about a week and he left a cash deposit, which is all I require, seemed to know what he wanted for he picked out a good boat and started down river at once." There was little to be learned in that information and Tim tried another tack.