The man, still carrying the gun, dashed past Phil, jabbed the boy with the muzzle and knocked him off balance. Then he raced outside, sprinted halfway down the block, and jumped into the car which the boys had noticed before. Seconds later he roared off. The Hardys were stunned by the painful wallop, but they recovered quickly. Joe dashed to the phone to call the police, while Frank ran outside with Phil. Although too late to stop the swindler, they got the license number of the getaway car. The shopkeeper, meanwhile, was bemoaning the loss of the antique rifle. “You’d think if he’s rich enough to have a Magnacard, he’d pay for the merchandise!” he said. Joe told him that the credit card was probably a fake and briefly explained about the counterfeit operation. “I won’t accept any more of those Magnacards,” the man said as Frank scoured the shop for possible clues. “Look at this!” Frank exclaimed. He bent down to pick up a loafer-type shoe which apparently had fallen off as the fugitive ran out.
