that he felt little fear of the authorities.

"Ef yo' wants t' catch him, Mistah Swift," went on Eradicate, "yo' kin
trace him by de whitewash what drops offen him," and he pointed to a
trail of white drops which showed the path Morse had taken.

"No, the less I have to do with him the better I like it," answered
the lad. "But I can't thank you enough, Rad. You have helped me out of
difficulties several times now. You put me on the trail of the men in
the deserted mansion, you warned me of the log Andy Foger placed
across the road, and now you have saved me from Morse."

"Oh, dat's nuffin, Mistah Swift. Yo' has suah done lots fo' me.
'Sides, mah mule, Boomerang, am entitled t' de most credit dish yeah
time. I were comin' down de street, on mah way t' a whitewashin' job,
when I seen yo', an yo' lickitysplit machine," for so Eradicate
designated a motorcycle. "I knowed it were yo', an' I didn't laik de
looks ob dat man. Den I see he had hold ob you, an' I t'ought he were
a burglar. So I yelled t' Boomerang t' hurry up. Now, mostly, when I
wants Boomerang t' hurry, he goes slow, an' when I wants him t' go
slow, he runs away. But dish yeah time he knowed he were comin' t'
help yo', an' he certainly did leg it, dat's what he done! He run laik
he were goin' home t' a stable full ob oats, an' dat's how I got heah
so quick. Den I t'ought ob de whitewash, an' I jest. used it."

"It was the most effective weapon you could have used," said Tom,
gratefully.

"Deed no, Mistah Swift, I didn't hab no weapon," spoke Eradicate
earnestly. "I ain't eben got mah razor, 'case I left it home. I didn't