“How did he come to write that note?”
“I won’t tell you that either.”
The boys could now hear the volante driver calling up from below, and a moment later they heard the captain move along the hall and descend the stone stairs.
“Well, this is a pickle and no mistake,” grumbled Darry, when they found themselves alone. “What do you make of it?”
“I hardly know what to make of it, so far,” was the slow answer. “For all we know, Hockley has turned traitor to our crowd and is in with the captain.”
“Do you think he is as bad as that?”
“If he isn’t, how did he come to write that note?”
“That’s true. But I shouldn’t think it, even of Hockley. Ever since we saved him from that boa constrictor he has acted pretty decently, for him.”
They moved over to the windows, to see if they could catch sight of the captain or the volante. At first they saw nothing, but presently they caught a flying glimpse.
“There go the both of them!” cried Sam. “Darry, we have been left to our fate.”