Glancing in the direction indicated by Dan's outstretched finger, Seth saw the would-be detective moving cautiously along, looking stealthily around, and otherwise behaving as if he had suddenly taken leave of his senses.
"Do you s'pose he's countin' on findin' Jip Collins in that fool way?"
"I reckon he thinks he's doin' the detective act in great shape," Dan replied with a laugh, all traces of ill-humor having vanished. "He says a feller in his line of business has to keep his eyes open every minute, an' sneakin' along in that style is what he 'most likely calls bein' wide awake."
Sam had arrived at the corner of the alley, and instead of walking boldly in to make a search, was standing where he might be partially screened by the building, craning his head forward for a single glance, and then drawing it back suddenly, repeating these movements about every thirty seconds with great regularity.
Dan gave full rein to his mirth, for this method of playing the detective seemed to him very comical; but Seth checked him whenever his laughter became boisterous.
"If he sees us pokin' fun at him we won't be able to make any kind of a trade, an' I don't want to stir the feller up till things are fixed."
"What things?"
"I want him to promise that he won't go prowlin' 'round the town after Jip Collins."
"See here, Seth, are you countin' on keepin' that racket up?"
"If you mean am I goin' to give Jip a lift by tryin' to keep that imitation detective quiet, I'll say 'yes.' We both have got good reason to be mighty ugly because he burned us out; but it's all over now, an' he's sorry. Let's give him one more show—you an' I—an' if he goes wrong after this I won't say a word against your doin' whatever you like."