"Perhaps I don't, Dobson," he said grimly. "But there are better ways of getting even with Rexworth than fighting; and I mean to try them all. Have you seen Brown again?"
"Yes," said Dobson.
And Elgert went on—
"Well, what did he say?"
"Only just what he has said all along. He has not been able to get it yet, but he thinks that he will. I tell you, Elgert, that I believe he is playing with us——"
"What do you mean?" cried Elgert sharply. "How playing with us?"
"Well, he either knows more than he pretends to, or else he suspects something. I don't think that he means to let us have that note."
Horace Elgert was silent for a few moments. Evidently he found that statement very disquieting.
"It will be a nice mess if it is like that," he said at last. "But it is no good worrying over it unless it comes. I will go and see him myself. You are a bit of a messer when it comes to doing anything. You don't seem to use your wits——"
"Can't use my wits to make him give me a thing which he has either not got or don't mean to part with," grumbled Dobson.