"Quarter to six."
"As late as that!" cried Ferris. "I must hurry and catch him before six. Only quarter of an hour. Good-day, sir."
"Good-day."
In a moment Ferris was gone. McCabe closed the door, and Hal came out of the closet followed by Katie.
"What does he mean?" questioned the man.
"I'll tell you what it means," said Hal. "He is trying to prove an alibi, in case a body was found in the vat. He thinks you can remember he was here looking for Macklin at quarter to six. If that was true, how could he have helped Macklin at five o'clock?"
"Well, well! he's a smart villain, so he is!" exclaimed Andy McCabe. "I wonder what he would have done if you had stepped out of the closet?"
"I was strongly tempted to do that," laughed Hal. "But now I must be off, Mr. McCabe. Please keep quiet, as I told you."
"I will, Mr. Carson. But where be you going?"
"To follow Ferris. Say, have you an old slouch hat you will exchange for this cap of mine?"