“Has the theory ever been advanced that the thin, doped-looking fellow might have been Colleton?” asked Ben.
“Not until advanced by you that I know of!”
“So they didn’t look for the man in the sporty coat and red tie?”
“I am certain that they did not.”
“Well,” reiterated Ben, “when they find him, they’ll find Colleton!”
“Now, go on and tell us how they got the inspector out of Washington,” said Jimmie, with a provoking wink in the direction of Mr. Havens.
“You can answer that question yourself, Jimmie,” replied Ben.
“Of course I can!” answered the boy. “They had a taxi at the Eleventh street entrance with a man inside. From the building they drove directly to the Union station. There they took a stateroom for Frisco. I don’t know what time the train left, because I haven’t got any railroad time-table in my dream-book, but I can tell you what they did after they got to the depot,” he added with a sly wink at the millionaire.
“Go to it!” laughed Ben. “This beats the Arabian Nights!”
“When they got to the depot they found the stateroom already engaged on a train leaving that night for the Pacific coast. They stripped the inspector, put him in pajamas and tucked him into bed.”