“The chances are,” said Bob, deliberately, “that if it was done by outside parties, they saw how you were occupied by the actions of the men in striking, and took advantage of the opportunity.”
“Please take us to where the rifled strong room is, Mr. Riley,” said Frank.
“Will you let the men know?” asked the former superintendent.
“You haven’t told them, then?” queried Frank.
“Not a soul knows anything about it,” came the reply. “I was expecting to pick out a couple of fellows, and make a start after the thieves, when I bucked up against a snag, and they ran me in here. But I didn’t see Sandy, and there was no one else to take into my confidence.”
“Well, I think the men ought to know,” Frank declared. “They’ll understand that I’m ready to take them into the game; and perhaps some one may have seen the rascals, and can give us an idea about what they looked like. Come out, Mr. Riley, and let the crowd understand that you don’t suspect any of them.”
Some dark looks were cast toward the deposed overseer; but at least the men entertained a healthy respect for his muscular prowess; and nobody ever questioned his bravery. So no violence was offered him. And as soon as Frank told of the great robbery, everything else was immediately forgotten.
It happened, however, that no one among them was able to advance a promising clue in connection with the robbers. So carefully had these worthies worked that they had not been seen by a single miner, though men had been moving about on the entire night in question, sleep being out of the question at the Cherry Blossom.
“I expect to take along Mr. Riley and one other man, selected by him as a good trailer,” said Frank, when the crowd gathered around him, clamoring for a chance to do something to show their altered feelings toward the Haywood family.
“How about us, then; don’t we go along, too?” called one husky fellow.