the point where the road curved to avoid a sand mound. Suddenly he heard a crash, a sound of shattered glass, followed by noisy exclamations and then complete darkness. The chauffeur, not seeing the stationary car in time, had gone full tilt into one corner of it. A moment later a search-light flashed.
"What the mischief is this?" he heard the voice of the man who had jumped from the car say. Then were was a hum of voices.
"Lucky we had the heavier car, light as it is," another voice remarked.
"Wonder who in the mischief left a car standing out here without the sign of a light. Smashed the dickens out of his windshield and twisted his axle and fender, I see. We got off pretty easy."
"Suppose it could be the detective's car?" asked the man who had first spoken.
Cat, in a flutter of excitement, had been trying to catch every word of the dialogue. At the last speech, he gave a start; he had recognized the voice.
"Sure you didn't get any glass back there?" he heard the same voice remark.