“Come on in, if you want to!” Alex. answered. “This seems to be our reception day!”
“Sure! Come on in! Don’t be so mysterious about it, whoever you are!”
As he spoke Case arose and opened the door. Instantly there tumbled into the cabin a boy of twelve or fourteen—a slender, thin-faced lad whose whole appearance indicated little food and little parental care. He did not rise to his feet.
“Well, what is it?” asked Clay, taking the intruder by the arm. “Why don’t you get up and introduce yourself? What do you want here, anyway?”
“Don’t switch on the light!” the boy pleaded, as Clay stretched his hand toward the electric switch. “They are watching the boat from the pier, and I don’t want them to know I got in. That’s why I didn’t stand up when the door was opened. The railing of the deck protected me from the view of any one up there. I’m running away!”
“You look the part!” Clay observed, motioning the visitor to a chair. “Why?”
“Because they’ll make me tell who stole the diamonds and furs up at Rock Island,” was the hesitating reply. “They’ll put me in jail if I don’t tell!”
“If you know and won’t tell,” Clay observed, “they surely will put you in jail!”
“Why won’t you tell?” asked Alex. “Perhaps you helped do the job yourself!”
“No I didn’t!” the boy said.