“So would I?” Bob promptly agreed. “I’ll bet Don Ferdinand is in there, and I’d like to get him out.”
“Not much chance of that right now,” said the flyer. He was silent, thinking. Finally he gave a decisive little nod. “By George, it’s better than doing nothing.”
“What is? Shall we have a try at storming the place?”
“No, of course not. But I think I’ll take a stroll down the street. Maybe I’ll hear something. The house is isolated. It’s probably open on account of this heat. If people are talking inside, I may catch a hint of what’s going on.”
“You’ll take a stroll?” said Bob. “Why not ‘we’?”
“No, I’ll go alone. Best not to put our eggs in one basket. Besides if by any chance, somebody jumps me, I’ve got a gun and can defend myself. You haven’t.”
“Huh. Guess I can swing a mean fist.”
The flyer grinned. “Nothing doing. I’ve got charge of this expedition, and orders are that you stay here and watch me. Besides, if I get into trouble, you’ll be free to bring aid, while if you were along and we both were done in—just supposing the worst that might happen—where would your friends look for us?”
Bob grumbled, only half-convinced.
“I’ll stroll around the block and join you here again,” said the flyer. “Nothing’s going to happen. Really, there’s not much sense in my going, only I do feel that there’s a chance of learning something. In case anything does happen to me, hop back to our stolen flivver and light out for Laredo and when you get near the Bridge abandon the car so that you won’t be stopped in case the owner has sent out a police warning. We’ll square accounts for that car later. Cross the Bridge and go to the nearest telephone and call the Border Patrol. Ask for Captain Murray. Remember that name, Murray. Tell him what’s what, and he’ll attend to the rest. And don’t by any chance make the mistake of trying to come to my rescue single-handed, because without a gun you’d be a goner. And you’d be throwing away my chance, too. I don’t think anything’s going to happen, but if it does, I want to be sure you’ll stick to that plan. How about it?”