"I suppose he's hiding somewhere. Why think about him? You're better off without him, Chefano. He's done his work. He doesn't know enough to talk, even. He can't give you away if they do catch him."
Chefano laughed. Frenchy could see his lips twist as he gazed in the mirror of the car. He thought he saw a dark form, too, and two tiny spots of light, like fires. It was not wise to watch the mirror, going at his high speed.
"It's been a wild night," said Chefano. "First that little surprise you didn't warn me about. That worked out very nicely when we put the two men on the rack. We handled the Russian messenger in the best possible way. When he walked in with the box under his arm, thinking we must be friends, I couldn't resist it. It was so easy to knock him down without any argument.
"Yes," agreed Frenchy, "but if you had had your way and opened the box right then and there it would have been very bad when Vincent and the Englishman came in. I shoved the box under the table while we decided what to do next. One minute later they popped up."
"We did the best thing when we ran for it," said Chefano. "They never thought to watch us while that fight was going on up at the top of the tower. When I got loose and started to free you, my one idea was to get the box and clear out."
"They couldn't have followed us through the woods," said Frenchy. "If they had known where my car was — in that old barn down the pike — it might have been bad. But once we were away — well, we're going to keep right on going."
"We?" said Chefano sharply. "We? You've been paid for your work, Frenchy. It's my lookout from now on. But you've been so useful that I'm going to give you some extra cash."
"You'll split the swag fifty-fifty," asserted Frenchy.
"What do you mean?" demanded Chefano. "How about Isaac Coffran? I've worked with him for years."
"Leave him out this time."