“So did Billy,” Bobby said. “And for the same reason, perhaps. He was scared.”
“My father says,” Chet pursued, “he has his doubts about Halliday’s guilt. He believes he is a catspaw for somebody else.”
“Anyhow,” said Billy, “the papers say he’s gone into the Big Woods south of Lake Dunkirk. And Purt wants to carry a gun to defend himself from outlaws.”
“If he does,” Chet said, seriously, “I’ll see that there are no cartridges in the gun. Huh! I wouldn’t trust Purt Sweet with a pop-gun.”
Bobby, meanwhile, was saying to Laura: “I 48 wonder why Old Dimple was interested enough in that Albany bank robbery to carry around that clipping out of the paper?”
“Maybe he lost money, too,” Laura suggested.
“What’s that about the old Prof?” put in Chet. “Do you know he’s gone out of town already?”
“No!” was the chorus in reply.
“Fact. I saw him with his suitcase this forenoon. He took the boat to Lumberport.”
“Well, as we shall all start in that same direction to-morrow morning, bright and early––”