Then we looked at each other.
CHAPTER VI.
A WATER TRAIL.
“A rather close organization, you see,” said Pawlinson finally, and with a placidity that was galling.
“What do you mean?” I queried shortly and a bit irritably. The incident hadn’t improved the temper of either of us.
“I mean that Stroth had everything pretty nicely arranged, didn’t he? For your reception, that is. Even to depositing you way out here, where——”
“Hold on!” I snapped sharply. “You yourself were duped as well as I was, and we’ve got no time for words. What do you make out of this?”
“What do you make out of it yourself? According to your own account, you left Stevens yesterday headed off somewhere in the launch from College Point.”
“But that certainly was he just now,” said I.
“Most positively; and his little scheme has thus landed us not only well out of the way of the whereabouts of Stroth, but I know enough of this town to know that we can’t get another cab inside of fifteen minutes. How do you figure the little devil happened in Portland, anyway?”
Pawlinson again favored me with one of those searching looks which were making me hate him more and more heartily.[Pg 46]