“Chumps,” replied Barney. “Find any?”
“Not till you showed up.” The chief bit his lip, and moved on. Chick dropped upon his belly, and crawled rapidly toward Barney, keeping a timber between him and the chief, in case the latter should look behind him.
Presently he was within speaking distance. “Kismet, Barney!” he said.
“Spake, mavourneen,” replied Barney, without moving a hair. “Shure, I'm listenin'.”
“That's your man, the fellow who just spoke to you. Don't lose him, and don't let him drop to you.”
CHAPTER IX.
Caught In The Act.
Chick saw Barney leap down from the head of the barrel, and glide away in pursuit of Gentleman George.
Then Young Hercules turned and retraced his steps, or rather his crawl, until he was once more snugly hidden, directly behind the spot where Red Rob was still sitting, evidently lost in thought.
“Bah!” Chick heard him mutter at last, as he rose to return to the Rat-Hole. “I wonder if he thinks I'm as big a chump as I seem? Wouldn't he rave if he knew that the steel casket was snugly in my possession all this time? You may fool the others, Gentleman George, all you please, but you can't fool me—not quite.”