“What shall we do? Turn him loose?” asked the short man with a nod at Larry.
“It’s a bad blunder to make,” spoke the well-dressed man, who seemed to be in charge. “I don’t see how you came to make it. But we dare not turn him out yet.”
“Why not?”
“Why, he’d give the whole thing away, and the strike’s not half won. As soon as he got out of here the police would come.”
“I will not tell on you if you only let me go,” said Larry. “I must get the copy to the paper. They’ll think I’ve run away.”
“They’ll have to think it then,” rejoined the leader.
“I promise I will not tell,” repeated the boy.
“We can’t trust you,” replied the short man, in hard tones.
“We’ll have to keep him here for some time,” went on the well-dressed man. “Then we’ll have to make another try for the real one.”
Larry felt his heart beating fast at the thought that perhaps Mr. Newton, all unconscious of danger, might be caught by the men. How he longed for a chance to warn the reporter!