The detective now had two plans to select from.
He could defeat the Johnson and Brower plots, and see that the race would be a square one, or he could allow Brower to have his way, and thus cause all bets to be declared off.
The first plan, if the horse should win, would place his client in an excellent position.
On the other hand, if the horse should[{40}] lose after all it would only increase his difficulty.
The second plan would release Wheeler’s twenty thousand dollar stake money, and leave him just as he stood before engaging in the enterprise.
This plan of preventing the horse from entering the race had been more than hinted at when Chick had appeared at the stables as a jockey on the previous night.
His report on the matter that morning had caused Nick to talk as he had at the broker’s office.
From that conversation with Wheeler, every word of which was still fresh in his mind, Nick had satisfied himself that the broker was anxious to let the stake remain if there was any prospect of securing a fair race.
This was one point in favor of the project of balking the rascals in their efforts to keep the horse out.
Another strong point in the mind of the detective was to teach Johnson and his gang of criminal pool sellers a salutary lesson.