"I hope I haven't made a mess of it," he reasoned. "I wonder where
Sam and Dick are?"
Had he had an opportunity, he would have left the room and taken a look around the place, but the strange men were there, and they evidently had their eyes on him.
Tom had been sitting quietly for five minutes, thinking matters over, when a side door opened and a young man smoking a cigarette came in. On seeing Tom, he stared in wonder and allowed his cigarette to drop to the floor.
"Tom Rover! How did you get here?"
It was Dan Baxter, as impudent and hard-faced as ever. He came a step closer and fairly glared at Tom.
For one brief instant, Tom's self-possession deserted him. Then he recovered and stared boldly at Baxter.
"Say, what you a-talkin' about?" he drawled.
"Eh?"
"What you a-talkin' about? I don't know you—never see you before."
"Well, if that ain't the limit!" burst out the bully. "You don't know me!"