"We've decided, Mr. Trenwith," Eleanor explained, "that the reason Jake is doing just what they want is that he's afraid of them—that they know of some wrong thing he has done, and have been threatening to expose him if he doesn't obey them."
"Well, if they're scaring him," said Charlie, "the thing for us to do is to scare him worse than they can. He'll stick to the side he's most afraid of."
"Let's get him down here," said Trenwith. "Then we can not only handle him better, but we can keep an eye on him. I'm with you in this, Charlie, for anything I can do."
"Good man!" said Charlie. "Then you're not afraid of Holmes? He's pretty powerful, you know."
Trenwith looked at Eleanor. And when he saw the smile she gave him, and her look of liking and of confidence, he laughed.
"I guess I can look after myself," he said. "No, I'm not afraid of him, old man! We'll fight this out together."
CHAPTER III
AN UNEXPECTED REUNION
"I like that Mr. Trenwith, Bessie," said Dolly, when the meal was over and she and Bessie were working together. They usually managed to arrange their work so that they could be together at it.