“Yes, yes,” said Sandy. “Go on.”
“And made a substitution. Put something of no value, whatsoever, in the poke. That will bolster up your theory.”
Sandy’s eyes gleamed.
“You’re right. If we keep at it, Dick, we’ll soon be as proficient as the great Sherlock Holmes himself.”
CHAPTER XII
“RAT” MACGREGOR’S WIFE
Before the lunch hour on the following day, Corporal Rand and his two prisoners returned to Frischette’s road-house, only to discover that Creel and the three boys were gone. However, Fontaine had a letter, which he pressed into the policeman’s hands. It was from Dick, a short note, scrawled hastily over the discolored surface of a torn piece of wrapping paper:
“Dear Corporal:
“Creel disappeared yesterday and we have set out this morning in an effort to find him. If our search is not successful, it is doubtful whether we will return to the road-house before tonight—and it may possibly be sometime tomorrow. Very sorry this had to happen. “Sincerely, “Dick.”
Rand looked up, after perusing the short missive, and pursed his lips. Then he made a swift calculation. If Dick and his two chums had contrived to pick up Creel’s trail, and had travelled steadily in one direction, they were not more than twenty or thirty miles away at that precise moment. They were on foot, while he had the choice of three tough, sturdy horses. It would be possible to overtake them and assist in the search. He wondered if it would be advisable to leave Burnnel and Emery locked up in a room at the road-house, awaiting his return.
He thought the matter over carefully. He hated to risk the chance of losing his prisoners, yet it was very important that Creel should not escape. The recluse, as the boys had ascertained a few days before, had been associated with Frischette in a number of robberies, including that of Dewberry.
Dewberry’s poke had been in the possession of Creel until the coming of Burnnel and Emery. No doubt, Creel knew all about the murder as well. In any case, he was too dangerous a character to be permitted to run at large. The policeman roundly upbraided himself for his negligence in failing to instruct the boys about keeping close watch over the man during his own recent absence.