De Casnova sat the mug down quietly. There was a queer gleam in his dark eyes as he said:
“Perhaps, senor, I can help you to rescue this Montaine from the villain, Costello. In fact, I have no doubt that I can.”
“I have not intimated such to be my purpose,” said Frank, steadily.
“Ah!” exclaimed the Mexican, lifting his eyebrows. “I see you will not trust me. But rest assured, Senor Reade, that Juan de Casnova is an honorable man.”
“I know nothing to the contrary,” replied Frank.
He was studying a way out of the difficulty.
He felt in some vague way that he was in a complicated position and wished to extricate himself.
He saw through the windows that Pomp and Barney had filled the Steam Man’s boilers and were getting up steam.
Frank at that moment heartily wished himself aboard the Steam Man.
For some reason he felt a strong distrust of Casnova. He realized that he had committed an error in speaking of Montaine or of the Mexican bandit.