“He was a bank errand boy,” answered King, “and walked off with a handbag a customer of the concern, one Josiah Trumbull—entrusted to his care. He has been chased all through the west, but has never been taken.”
“And he came on board the Rambler at dusk last night?” asked Case.
“So my men say. They were watching your boat at that time, thinking it might be the home of the thief. I have thoughts running in that direction right this minute! So you’d better give an account of yourself.”
Clay, seeing that the deputy was sincere and friendly, told the story of past and prospective trips. King listened with amused eyes.
“All right!” he said. “I’ve heard of you boys! You caught a robber up the Columbia and got a rich reward! Hope you’ll get another one right here. But this Don Durand is a clever chap, though only the size of a pint cup! He’s so small that he may be hiding here right now.”
“I’m glad he got something to eat!” Case exclaimed. “I’ll bet he was hungry! You don’t think he coaxed Alex off, do you?”
“Did he have an airship or a diving bell to take him off in?” laughed King. “He has the price of both, I take it, for the papers say he is carrying fifty thousand in gold notes around with him.”
“Alex might have found him out on the aft deck and chased him off, and then followed him,” Clay suggested. “Alex is a pretty good swimmer,” he added. “He wins medals in under-water endurance tests!”
“Now you’re beginning to think right!” King commented. “The boys may be on shore. If they are, my men will get them. And I reckon they’re putting up a fight right now,” he added. “Hear the shots?”
Puffs of smoke lifted over the hills, and then a rattling volley came from the mountain spur not far to the west.