“That’s all right, Dick, don’t get hot,” laughed the sheriff. “I’m just getting the lay of the land, that’s all. Now here’s what we’ll do. I have Brown, my deputy, with me here, and the constable will make three. We’d better get one more man, Constable, just to be on the safe side. Who can you get?”
“Why, there’s Bud Harkins, who takes my job when I’m off on business, or on a little vacation. I can have him here in half an hour.”
“All right; be off and bring him here, and say nothing of what it’s all about. That will make us four, one more than the other outfit.”
Dick had been listening to this in a surprised sort of a way.
Suddenly he burst out: “Four? Where do I come in?”
“Why, you’ve done your share already, and there’s no need for you to be putting yourself in danger needlessly,” answered the sheriff.
“Say, that isn’t hardly fair. Here I get this tip, and then I’m to be cheated of the fun of being in at the end,” protested the fat boy.
“Might as well let him be the fifth man, Sheriff,” said the deputy. “He and his friends are pretty solid headed kids, and they were with us, you remember, when we rounded up Green and his gang first time.”
The sheriff debated with himself for a moment, and then gave in.
“All right, another person in the party won’t hurt any.”