The door was flung open and Brodie and Denton entered.
Skip was in a towering passion, as was also his pal.
“Everything is all right,” said Dell, “I saw his daughter, a sweet girl, and she promised to pay the reward and will not prosecute. She will bring the money here or send it.”
Brodie broke into a flood of profanity.
“We can’t return the banker, worse luck,” remarked Denton.
“Why?”
“Because we have lost him, you jade,” cried Skip, “and the chances are we will not find him again. It is all your fault, Dick.”
“I don’t see how you make that out,” said Denton. “I am sure I did not tell the fellow to run away with him.”
“No, but you said the negro would act straight,” replied Brodie. “I did not like the fellow’s looks from the first.”
“Admitting that I was wrong in my estimate of Sam Cole,” said Dick, “you should have watched him more closely if you were suspicious of him. The banker must have reached his car in some way. He did not learn from us who or what our captive was, and you may be sure he had a knowledge of Field’s importance before running off with him. You, and you alone, are to blame; did I not know you so well I should think that you and Sam had combined to dump me.”