“Say, mister, what do we want with a darn old notebook anyway!” Skippy retorted. “Search us—search our whole room but you won’t find it, ’cause what would we want with it, huh?”
“That’s what I’d like to know,” Devlin said, narrowing his eyes. He turned to Nickie, “I think you picked that lock—what for?”
“Aw, pipe down. Even if I did—what about it, hah? You can see that we didn’t take anything an’ if we had, what could we do with it? I guess you ain’t worried that we got any money or anything like that, hah?”
“Hear that, Frost? I guess they’re telling the truth and that puts it up to you. You trying to double cross me?”
“Say, I ain’t that dumb, Boss,” Frost protested. “Maybe you mislaid it or lost it.”
“Maybe—and maybe not.” Then Devlin turned on his heel and left the room with Frost hopping after him protesting his innocence. But it was evident to the boys that Devlin suspected Frost for the dour looking leader returned soon muttering: “I’ll get him yet.”
CHAPTER XXVIII
THE MICE WILL PLAY
It was apparent next day that relations were strained between the two men. Frost went about looking sullen and defiant and Devlin, when he was not up in his room sleeping, sat in the kitchen drinking coffee with ominous gravity.
Late afternoon came and Devlin appeared dressed to go out. He strode about the kitchen several times, then walked to the door. Frost eyed him curiously.
“Goin’ out, Boss?” he asked.