“All right! You don’t have to believe it.”
“Besides, who is there that knows you have the money, except me and the two Mexicans? Don Durand ran away without waiting to see what became of the belt, so he doesn’t know, and the Mexicans, who do know, and who told me, have been in my company nearly ever since, so they didn’t get it. You may as well tell me the truth. It will save time.”
“I have told you the truth, but you may keep on mussing up things if you want to. You’ll get your pay for it some day!”
“No threats, please! I rather like you boys, and I’m sorry you got mixed up in this affair. I’ll do the best I can for you, but I must have that money! Also, I must have that belt. There are papers in it which I need in my business. Get up and get the money and belt!”
“If I could,” Alex replied, “I’d throw them overboard before I’d let you have even one look at them! Where are Clay and Case?” he added.
“I’m sorry for that, too,” King replied, “but I had to drop them off on a little sand heap not far away. They cut such annoying pranks that I had to do it. I have the boat anchored, you see, and you may run back and get them as soon as I get the money and the papers.”
“What papers?” asked Alex, innocently, as if he had never heard of the queer documents before. “What you talking about?”
“The papers that were in the handbag,” King replied, patiently.
“They were in the belt when it was stolen,” Alex answered, telling the exact truth, but saying nothing of the copies he had made, and which were at that moment in an inside pocket of his coat, hanging on the wall not far from his bunk.
“Oh, very well!” the deputy said, turning to his work again. “You lie right there while I search the boat from stem to stern. It may take a couple of days, but I’ll do it right while I am at it.”