“Say, Moses,” said Ben Baker, “why were you so anxious about my not opening the door unless I recognized the voice? Don’t you know we have hundreds of members I never saw, and I am an old hand?”
“I know all the boys, and they all know old Moses.”
“There is no doubt of that,” remarked Ben Baker, “especially if they ever had any dealings with you. But, come, that is not answering my question.”
They all had gathered around the table, now, and were engaged in helping each other to empty the bottles.
“Boys!” cried the Jew, “you must leave here. You have been betrayed. Detective Nick Carter knows of this place, and may be down on it at any moment.”
“Betrayed!” shouted the brutes, in chorus.
“Tell me, who was it betrayed us?” Skip caught Moses roughly by the arm. “They must have set no value upon their life.”
“Was it Tambourine Jack?” suggested Mackrell.
“No; not him.”
“Who, then?” shouted several of the ruffians.