“Three cheers for Carter!” shouted an enthusiastic man in the mob.
“Hurrah!” yelled Bonesy. “That’s the right thing! Give ’em with a will, boys—and girls, too!” he added, as a fortunate afterthought.
The women joined with the men, their shrill tones being plainly audible through the gruff voices of the men as they cheered the great detective again and again while marching down the road.
“There you are, Mr. Carter!” cried Bonesy, with a grin, as he returned to the house. “Now, what is the next thing to be done.”
“Louden, come down here!” called out Nick, as he looked up the stairs. “And bring with you Andrew Lampton and that man who looks like Howard Milmarsh.”
“He is Howard Milmarsh!” grunted Louden. “How did you get into this house?”
“That ought not to matter much to you,” said Nick. “It is a good thing for you I got in somehow. Patsy, run around and tell Captain Brown he can come in by the front entrance now. He is still sitting in his car, I guess.”
Louden Powers raised his eyebrows as he heard Carter give these instructions. He began to wonder how many persons were to be brought into the house by this detective who had taken charge of matters so completely.
“Come down, Louden!” repeated Nick. “It will be better for you.”