The colored servant unhooked the receiver and listened a moment. Then, carefully covering the mouthpiece with his hand, he announced:
"It's Mr. Young, Colonel!"
"Is it! Good! Hold him! I'll talk with him!"
Quickly crossing the room the detective spoke rapidly into the instrument.
"Hello, Jack! This is the colonel. Yes—what is it? He is? That's unusual—for him. Guess he's going down and out by the wrong route! Yes, I'll come right away! You follow King and I'll take the trail after Larch. So he's boasting that— Well, all sorts of things may happen now. Yes, I'm on my way now. You follow King!"
The detective remained motionless for a few seconds after he had slipped the receiver into its hook. Then he said to Shag:
"Do you know where I ought to be now?"
The colored man paused a moment before replying. Then he played a safety shot by answering:
"No, sah, Colonel, I jest doesn't—zactly."
"Well, I ought to be getting ready to go fishing. I'm sick of this whole business. I'm going to quit! I never ought to have gone into it. I'm too old. I told 'em that, but they wouldn't believe me."