Just then the door opened and Hank appeared. But it was a very different Hank from the boastful and self-confident individual of the day before. He nodded gloomily to Joe, and stared at his companion.
“What’s the matter, Hank?” questioned Joe. “You look as though you had lost the last friend you had on earth. Cheer up, the worst is yet to come.”
“The worst has come already,” responded Hank gloomily.
“What do you mean?” demanded Joe, in quick alarm.
“That crazy man has skipped!” blurted out Hank desperately, with the air of a man who wants to tell the bad news quickly and have it over with.
“What?” shouted Joe and Reggie in chorus.
“That’s what I said,” asserted Hank doggedly.
“When did he escape?” cried Joe, his anger rising.
“How did you come to let him get away from you?” demanded Reggie.