"Yet how do I know you're telling me anything like the truth?"
"If I'm lying, you can find it out very quickly, can't you?" demanded Darrin. "But come along, or you'll be too late. Oh, why do all the biggest slow pokes in creation get appointed to the police force?"
"Come along with me, Delmar," ordered Chief Simmons, turning to one of his policemen. "The rest of you stay here—-though you can pass on into the open air. Then wait there for us."
"Don't you waste any time on worry, Dick," Dave called back.
Prescott laughed easily. Whatever Dave had discovered, or thought he had, Darrin's chum was quite content now to await the result of all that enthusiasm.
"We must not make much noise," cautioned Darrin, as he led the way swiftly, though on tiptoe. "We don't want to scare the other people cold until we have them cooped so that they can't get away. But you'd better be ready, in case they're desperate enough to try shooting!"
Up the street, to the head of another alley way, Darrin led the swift chase.
"Now, softer than ever," he whispered, over his shoulder, without halting.
A moment later Dave halted before two stone steps that led down to a basement junk shop.
Just as he did so a low voice inside could be heard, saying in barely audible tones: