“You are mistaken,” he declared in a clear, steady voice. “You will find that you are mistaken. Events will bear me out.”
Rand suddenly drew back. Footsteps sounded outside. Voices, scarcely distinguishable, floated to their ears. More scuffling of feet, and then the door opened. Dick, Sandy and Toma darted to their feet, staring wildly at the two newcomers:
Creel’s assailants of the night before!
CHAPTER IX
UNEXPECTED NEWS
For a full minute no one spoke.
It was a question who was the more astonished—the prospectors or the three boys. Corporal Rand turned his head as the two men entered and regarded them steadily. Creel had half-started from his chair, then quickly sat down again, while a queer smile puckered the corners of his mouth. If Dick had expected that Creel’s assailants of the previous night would show fear at sight of the mounted policeman he was greatly mistaken. To his surprise the big man nodded in a friendly way toward the corporal, then advanced to confer with him.
“This sure is a piece of luck,” he exclaimed, extending a grimed and hairy hand, which Rand totally ignored. “I hadn’t expected to find yuh here. Most allers when yuh want a policeman, there ain’t one within fifty miles.”
This statement, apparently, did not wholly please Rand, for he scowled lightly, his sharp blue eyes full upon the other.
“What business have you with the police?” he demanded.
“It ain’t nothin’ that concerns us,” the little man cut in, in his attempt to smile looking more repulsive and ferocious than ever. “It’s like this, constable—”