“Is Gran under arrest?” asked Alex.
The Sergeant shook his head and held up a hand for silence.
“It is only a train from the east,” Clay volunteered.
“Is that our train?” asked Gran, looking up into the Sergeant’s face with a confiding smile. “Is that OUR train?”
“I hope so,” replied the officer. “And now, Mr. Clay,” he added, “you come with me to the station, and you may learn of something to your advantage, as the newspaper advertisements say. The others will remain here for the present.”
“We’re too paralyzed to make a movement,” suggested Alex.
Captain Joe arose to follow Clay and Teddy shambled up to the officer and tried to climb up the official stripe on the seam of his trousers. The Sergeant laughed and patted the bear on the head.
“You’re a happy family!” he said. “Come on, Clay.”
Gran waved a thin hand at the two departing ones and turned to Alex.
“You’re going to hear the end of the story directly,” he said. “I’m not going to tell it, though.”