"What do you mean?"
"I'll tell you," answered Lew Flapp, and in a rapid manner he related all that had occurred since he had met Sam in the Oak Run barber shop.
"Well, all I can say is, that you are a lucky dog," came from Dan Baxter, at the conclusion of the recital. "You can thank your stars that you are not at this moment in the Oak Run lock-up."
"I shouldn't have run any risk at all if it hadn't been for you," growled Flapp.
"Oh, don't come any such game on me, Flapp. I can read you like a book.
You know you don't dare to go home—after that trip-up at White Corners.
Your old man would just about kill you—and you'd be locked up in the
bargain."
At these words Lew Flapp winced, for he knew that Dan Baxter spoke the truth. He was afraid to go home, and had come to Hacknack simply because he knew not where else to go and because Baxter had promised him some money. The amount he had realized on the sale of the stolen jewelry had been spent.
"See here, what's the use of talking that way?" he grumbled. "I didn't come here to get a lecture."
"I'm not lecturing you," came hastily from Dan Baxter. "I'm merely telling you things for your own good, Flapp. I want you to pull with me. I know we'll get along swimmingly."
"You said you'd let me have some money."
"And I'll keep my word."