"Ton't believe it. Vere ist der poy now?"
"He jumped up there and got through that hole," replied Richard, pointing to the place.
The German uttered an exclamation.
"Dat's nonsense!"
"It's true. He stole two dollars and some letters, and I chased him in here."
The man eyed Richard suspiciously.
"Maype dot vas only a make-believe sthory; I don't know," he declared.
"Come, ve go upstairs und see."
But, as Richard surmised, the boy had, by some means, already made his escape. But the marks of his muddy feet, as he had crawled from the hatchway, were still to be seen, and these Richard pointed out.
"Vell, if your sthory is straight dat lafer ain't here now; so you go about your beesness." And with a wave of his arm the stalwart workman motioned for Richard to clear out.
The boy was not loth to leave the place. Nothing was to be gained by remaining, and the German's company was certainly not desirable.