“Of course, and if they get us you’ll have to take your medicine with the rest.”
“You said you’d protect me,” said Peter.
“So I will as much as I can,” replied the blue-handed man, “but I can’t fight the whole police force. I’ve done pretty well as it is.”
“I want the steam-engine and the kite,” said Jimmy, his voice trembling. “I want to go home! I want Larry!”
“We must keep him quiet,” the blue-handed man said. “Give him something to eat, and get out some kind of Chinese toys. He’ll be asleep pretty soon, if I’m any judge.”
CHAPTER XXX
JIMMY HELD CAPTIVE
Jimmy was ready to burst into tears. He had kept his courage up under the strangeness of being taken away from Larry, by the promise of the animals first, then the steam-engine, and next the kite. When none of these was forthcoming, the boy felt that he had been fooled, and this made him feel badly. Then, too, he was really frightened by the darkness and the strange man and place to which he had been brought.
“Here, kid!” called Peter, after rummaging in a closet, “here’s a fine jumping-jack,” and he gave Jimmy a Chinese toy.
It was arranged so that, by pressing two pieces of wood which formed the handle of the jumping-jack, the manikin would cut all sorts of queer capers. For a while this served to take Jimmy’s mind off his troubles.
“Now get him something to eat,” the blue-handed man ordered Peter. “The rest of the fellows will be coming here pretty soon, and we’ll have to talk business. Go out and get him some pie.”