“I reckon I know why the sneak thief failed to carry away the thing he was looking for, if that’s what you mean, Perk.”
“As what, boss—I’m all worked up wantin’ to know.”
“Perhaps the reason might have been because the object of his search happened at that very time to be safe and snug in the inside pocket of this same coat I’m wearing under my overalls.”
At hearing this startling announcement Perk gave a quick look into his pal’s face, there being just enough light remaining in the western sky to allow this searching glance.
“Glory be! now I’m beginning to get somewhere, and ready to quit this gropin’ around, like a man in a London fog—that letter you had this very morning from Headquarters—somehow ’r other some of the gang had wind of your gettin’ it, and they guessed it’d be kept safe under lock and key in your room at the hotel; and then they got balled up about the number on the door, so they broke into the wrong room. Jack, am I on the right track?”
“Seems that’s so, according to my notion, Perk; unless I miss my guess that’s the way things stand.”
A disgusted grunt from Perk told that he did not feel very happy over certain facts in the case.
“Gosh-a-mighty!” he burst out, explosively, “if that’s right, then the tricky crowd know you’n me are on this case—that even right now we’re starting out to pluck their tail feathers, and fetch that master-crook to the bar!”
“Oh! I expected that would happen,” said Jack, indifferently. “Having been told by several of the best men in the service that Slim was the smartest all-round dopester known in all the land, I anticipated that he’d have means for finding out that fact long ago—that there might be a leak around Headquarters; for spies can worm in almost anywhere, given an opportunity, and the backing of a big bunch of jack.”
“Yet that fact don’t seem to rattle you worth a red cent, old hoss,” continued the puzzled Perk, who ofttimes found the actions of his cool partner a mystery he could not solve, because of his own more impetuous ways.