“What do you say to that?” thundered Badger, striding closer to Patsy, with his features livid and convulsed with rage.
“I dunno what she’s talking about,” protested Patsy coolly.
“You lie!” roared Conley. “You are one of Nick Carter’s helpers, or——”
“Stop a bit!” interrupted Badger, with frightful austerity. “We’ll soon know whether he is or not!”
“What d’ye mean?”
“I’ll get the truth out of him!” snorted Badger. “Bring him after me, back to the garage. I’ll make him confess the truth and tell us where we stand. We’ll string him up by the neck to one of the beams—and there he shall hang unless he tells the whole truth! Bring him along, you two, and look lively! I’ll go on ahead and open the doors.”
“Yes, there’s something doing!” thought Patsy, contemplating his imminent peril. “They are going to try hanging me—but they’ll try in vain! Yet I rather hope Chick may show up in time to save my precious neck.”
These thoughts passed through Patsy’s mind while he was being rudely hustled out of doors by Conley and Hyde, while Amos Badger hurried on in advance.
Both women followed, too alarmed by the impending peril to endure the suspense of remaining behind.