"Don't you want 'em arrested, Abe?" put in Tom Dillon. "As I understand it, this here Merwell feller is wanted by the police as it is."
"Oh, don't arrest me! Please don't do that!" cried Link Merwell. He turned to Dave and his chums. "Let me go, won't you? I—I didn't do anything. I didn't take a thing out of your suit-case," he added, to Roger.
His manner was so humble and he seemed so full of terror, that the boys could not help feeling sorry for him, even though they realized that he was a criminal and should be in the hands of the law.
"What do you think we ought to do, Dave?" whispered the senator's son, pulling our hero to one side.
"That is up to you, Roger."
"If we make them prisoners what can we do with them? They will only bother us in the search for the lost mine."
"I think I'd make them pay Abe Blower for his trouble and then let them go."
"Yes, but they have got to promise not to bother us in the future," put in Phil, who had followed Dave and Roger to a distance.
"They'll promise that, Phil. But you know what their promises are worth," answered our hero.
A hot war of words followed, Abe Blower and Tom Dillon telling the two rascals just what they thought of their conduct. Link Merwell was badly scared, and the former teacher of Oak Hall looked very much disturbed.