“Babies! Fools!” the chief was shouting. “I’ll have the shields off every one of you for this! Haven’t the newspapers been laughing at us enough? You’ll drive me to drink! I’ll hand my resignation to the mayor in the morning! I’ll—— How d’you do, Mr. Verbeck?”
“How do you do, chief?”
“Here’s the man who did it—Roger Verbeck! Because he got peeved at this Black Star he turns in and runs him down—what you boobs are supposed to get paid for doing! He takes chances—he and his chauffeur, or whatever he calls him—and he gets his man! Keeps the police out of it, and does it all by himself, just to show you up——”
“Scarcely for that reason, chief,” Roger put in.
“Don’t misunderstand me, Mr. Verbeck—I’m not belittling what you’ve done. I’m just showing these alleged sleuths that they are wanting in intelligence. Here’s a plain citizen gets peeved and goes out and rounds up a big crook—hands him over to you all done up in a bundle and handcuffed, watches while you throw him in the wagon, and then——”
The chief stopped a moment and gurgled in anger.
“And then, by Heaven, right at the door of headquarters, you let him escape!”
[CHAPTER XV—THE CHALLENGE]
Silence for a moment, save for Muggs’ single gurgle of disgust, and then:
“What’s that?” Roger Verbeck demanded, stepping forward and facing the chief.