“I’ll have to hurry up and meet the others,” exclaimed Harry to himself as he hastened along, taking care to keep a safe distance behind the three men he could see ahead of him.
“My! I guess I’ve got something to tell them that won’t sound like any ghost story from Spook Land!”
CHAPTER XIX.
RALPH GETS A TELEGRAM.
Harry met his friends at the telegraph office after he had tracked the three men from the River Swallow to a telephone pay station, the same one, in fact, from which Malvin had called up the Mercy Hospital. His excited face at once showed them that he had news of importance to communicate, and they listened eagerly to his story, standing outside the place so as to be sure there were no eavesdroppers about. Ralph had already sent his telegram and was to have an answer in an hour.
Harry Ware wasted no words in telling his experiences. His narrative was soon over, and Ralph suggested an immediate start for the police station.
“We surely have got enough evidence against the gang now to warrant informing the police,” he said. “Of course, we’ve no idea what sort of work this Artful Dodger and these men are engaged in. But we know it is something unlawful, and that is excuse enough for us to let the police know what is going on.”
They were not long in reaching the police station, a solid-looking gray stone building with two lights burning in front of it. They ascended a flight of stone steps and entered the place, which was empty except for a stout sergeant seated behind an oak desk. As soon as he spoke, the boys discerned that he was a recent importation from England.
“Is the inspector in?” asked Ralph.
“The h’inspector h’is h’in, but h’I dunno h’if you can see ’im. W’at’s yer business, coveys?” inquired the sergeant, twisting a big mustache and looking important.
“It’s—it’s of a private nature,” said Ralph, who was spokesman of the party.