Still Lew Flapp made no answer.
"Do you want me to go away and leave you locked in the vault?" continued Sam. "It would be a beautiful place in which to die of starvation."
"Let me out!" came from the bully, and now he got up and showed his face at the small grating near the top of the door. "Let me out, Rover, that's a good fellow."
"Then you don't want to die of starvation just yet?"
"You wouldn't dare to leave me here, you know you wouldn't!"
"Why not? Don't you deserve it, after the trick you played on Dick and
Tom and me?"
"I tell you it's all a mistake. Let me out and I will explain everything," went on Flapp, who was now thoroughly alarmed.
"I'll let you out—after I have summoned the town constable."
"Don't have me locked up, I beg of you, Sam. Give me a chance," pleaded the bully.
"You don't deserve any chance. You tried to send me and my brothers to prison, and you have got to suffer for it."