“What the dickens are you talking about?” snapped Carker.
“That’s what I’d like to know,” said Bingham.
“Fellows,” said Ready, “we have played right into the hands of Merriwell. We gave him the chance to be the principal figure in the affair to-night.”
“Are you daffy?” asked Carker. “What do you mean?”
“He lured us into catching Boltwood and confining the fellow so that he could get into this game,” said Jack.
Still both Carker and Bingham were in the dark.
“Why, hang it all!” exploded Jack; “can’t you see through a ladder? Boltwood wasn’t here at all!”
“What?” gasped Carker.
“What?” roared Bingham.