“But what good would it have done?” Green went on. “The conspirators in Washington, or New York, or San Francisco would have chosen another leader, and the game would have gone on as before.”
“That is very true,” Ned admitted, “and still, it seems to me that the time to round the fellows up has come!”
“Do you give that as an order?” asked the other, a flash of excitement showing in his face.
“Yes,” was the reply.
“But some of them have gone to Portland with the Chinks—some to Frisco, I think. What about that?”
“If you can spare men,” Ned said, “follow them.”
“You’re on!” laughed Green. “I’ve been waiting for some such orders for a long time. You’re on!”
“And follow on to Frisco as soon as you can,” Ned continued. “Address me, or look for me, if you are able to be about after you get there, at the Federal building.”
“I’ll be there in a week,” Green said, his eyes showing the joy of the coming fight with the outlaws, “and I’ll have a bunch of prisoners with me.”
The forester hesitated a moment, as the importance of the proposed move came to him, then faced Ned with a hesitating look. It was plain to the boy that Green wanted to ask a question which he believed to be either personal or impertinent.