“Do you mean to say that you’ve caught Slippery Elm?” Captain Brice asked excitedly.
“Sure thing,” Captain Jim replied.
“Some catch, I’ll say,” and Captain Brice held out his hand. “Congratulations.”
It was while they were at breakfast the following morning that Captain Jim was called to the telephone. He was gone for about ten minutes and when he returned his beaming face told that he had heard good news.
“That was Slippery all right and the Chief tells me that there is a reward of ten thousand dollars for him. That’ll be five thousand apiece for you boys.”
“Not much it won’t,” Jack burst out “You caught him.”
“But I’d never have done it if you boys hadn’t located him for me.”
“Then we’ll split the reward four ways,” Bob proposed.
To this plan the two Captains objected declaring that the boys had earned the reward and it was not until both Bob and Jack absolutely refused to take a cent of it unless, they would agreed to do as Bob had suggested that they gave in.
“But I don’t feel right about it so far as I’m concerned,” Captain Brice insisted. “I had nothing to do with his capture.”