The next morning passed also without result. At noon they went over to Springville, the next town, to investigate the stores there to see if they could find a clew. As they were going into the town, the car stopped to give an automobile a chance to cross the track ahead of them. This called Hans’ attention to the automobile. There was no one in it but the driver, but he had on a blue cloth hat and wore blue glasses. Hans jumped up and leaned out to get a better view of the occupant, shouting to Hal: “Get the number of that machine quick.” Hal did so, but just then Hans said, in a disappointed tone, “Never mind the number, the driver’s colored and the man who wore the blue glasses was white.” So they went back to their seats more disappointed than ever. When they had gone a little farther, however, Hans burst out, “Do you remember that number yet?” [Illustration: “Get the number of that machine.”] “Yes,” said Hal, “27,843, Mo. There was another smaller number underneath, but I couldn’t get that one.” “Let’s go back,” said Hans. “I have a hunch that we ought to investigate that car.” With that they swung off the trolley and after waiting a few minutes along came another car going in the opposite direction. “That auto may stop in Lowell. I don’t suppose it will do any good, but it’s the first thing that looks like a clew that we have had, and we’d better follow it up.” When they got back to town they visited all the garages in the city without explaining their mission, and looked at the numbers on all the cars. They didn’t find the one they were looking for, so they went down to report to Mr. Williams. He was very much interested. “Why didn’t you ask the garage people if they had seen a car with that number?” “Guess we didn’t know enough,” said Hans. “We’re not such great detectives after all.” Mr. Williams thought enough of the clew to say that he would have one of the detectives interview the managers of the garages and find out if a car of that number had been in town that day and to see if they could trace it. “We can also write to St. Louis and find out who owns that Missouri number.” Hans and Hal then went to their rooms to get ready for dinner, for their work made them hungry, although of course Hans had the better appetite of the two. In the evening they were sitting in Hans’ room when there was a knock on the door. Hal opened it and there was Mr. Williams. “We’ve found the automobile,” said Mr. Williams. “It belongs to one of the students of the University who has a colored driver. The driver has been employed for only a month and I am afraid that there is nothing in our clew. The machine belongs to Crossley.”