A BREACH
This quick retort on the part of Frank Allen threw the hearing into dismay for a few moments. The question had not occurred to the chief of police, who, it was now becoming more evident, was willing to place the blame on the most convenient shoulders, and, Frank thought to himself, he may have been influenced by the policeman who had so openly accused him of knowledge of the crime at the Parsons place two nights before.
Cunningham did not reply. Instead he fidgeted in his chair, and looked at the chief, who was nonplussed.
“That is a fair question,” he said slowly. “Mr. Cunningham, will you please explain why you are so sure this young man and his friend were not in the boat for two hours?”
“It is not possible for me to explain,” was the very deliberately pronounced reply of Fred Cunningham. “I got my information from a source which I do not care to name.”
“Then you do not say that you actually saw my Rocket tied to the shore for two hours?” asked Frank, directing the question at Cunningham.
“No, I did not say I saw it myself. But the man who told me is a thoroughly reliable one.”
“Is he any more reliable than the information he gave you?” Again Frank shot a direct question.
“Now, now, that will not do. I am carrying on this hearing,” broke in the police chief.
“I just wish to remark,” Frank was not to be stopped, “that if the informant of Mr. Cunningham is no more reliable about any other information than he was about this, I cannot see that anything Mr. Cunningham can say will be of any value to you, Mr. Berry.”