"Do! And, on behalf of the company, I'll offer a two-hundred dollar reward for the arrest of each man!"
With that prospect to spur them on the policemen hastened away, followed by the young man with the bloodhound.
"Now, Nicolas," pressed Reade, turning around at the faithful little brown man, "you tumble back into bed."
"But you, Senor?"
"Don't worry about me. I've probably done all I need to do to-night. I shall probably sit here on the porch and think until daylight. Then I'll call Hazelton, and go to bed for a few hours' sleep before I appear in court against the gamblers and the bootleggers. Go to bed, Nicolas, and sleep! That's an order, remember!"
The Mexican therefore went to his bedroom without protest. Presently Reade became aware of the fact that his clothing had not by any means fully dried. He went to his room, took a vigorous rub-down, donned dry clothing, and then went out on the porch.
Though the night was dark the air was delicious. The combined odors of many flowers came in on the faintly stirring breeze.
Tom leaned back in a chair, his feet on the porch railing. His senses lulled by the quiet and repose of the night he was in danger of falling asleep.
Of a sudden he came to with a start. Off among the trees to the eastward, near the road, a human being was stirring.
Reade rose, moving swiftly back more into the shadow. Then he watched, every sense alert. Yes; some one was moving, out there amid the trees. What he could not see, Tom discovered by his acute sense of hearing.