"That may be," admitted the chief shaking his head. "But the charge
has been made, and we hold the warrant. The courts will settle it. We
must now arrest Tom. Where is he?"

"He isn't here!" cried Mr. Swift, and small blame to him if there was
a note of triumph in his voice. "Tom sailed away not half an hour ago
in the airship Red Cloudl You can't arrest him!"

"He's escaped!" shouted the constable. "I told you, chief, that he was
a slippery customer, and that we'd better come before breakfast!"

"Dry up!" commanded the chief testily. "So he's foiled us, eh? Run
away when he knew we were coming? I think that looks like guilt, Mr.
Swift."

"Never!" cried the inventor. "Tom would never think of robbing the
bank. Besides, he has all the money he wants. The charge is
preposterous! I demand to be confronted with the proof."

"You shall be," answered Chief Simonson vindictively. "If you will
come to the bank you can see the rifled vault, and hear the testimony
of a witness who saw your son with burglar tools in his possession
last night. We also have a warrant for Mr. Wakefield Damon. Do you
know anything of him?"

"He has gone with my son in the airship."

"Ha! The two criminals with their booty have escaped together!" cried
the chief. "But we'll nab them if we have to scour the whole country.
Come on, Higby! Mr. Swift, if you'll accompany me to the bank, I think