"Ferret didn't tell me anything. But I remember the day we came into New York. You told Ferret to head for Middletown, with no by-play on the way. I believe that Ferret ignored your advice!"
"I see!" exclaimed Major admiringly. "He thinks that I've wised and am trying to needle him."
"You have the idea, now. But the truth of the matter is probably that Ferret pulled something in New York, the evening that he was there. The Shadow picked up the trail. He found Ferret working in the bank. So he's watching."
"Watching Ferret?"
"Possibly. Perhaps he is watching the bank. He must have been in there last night. He might have been clever enough to get into the vault."
"Ah!" said Major. "That's where he was working on me. Playing me against Ferret. Trying to shake the whole works. I see it, Deacon. I come in and talk to Judge. I say there's something phony. Ferret is called in. He has read the note, and is keeping mum. When he hears my palaver, he thinks that I'm trying to hang something on him."
"That's the way it was intended," said Deacon.
"Ferret is pretty close to Butcher," observed Major thoughtfully.
"And you and I are pretty thick," returned Deacon.
"Which makes it," announced Major, "a good scheme to split the brains and the brawn of the Five Chameleons into two factions. Ferret speaks his piece to Butcher. I speak mine to you."