“I guess that’s it,” said Miles pacifically, but Hank refused to calm down. It galled his bitter nature to the quick to see the Electric Monarch in successful flight when he had hoped and schemed for a failure.
“I wonder what’s become of the Dutchman,” he snarled. “He’s ten times brighter than you are, Hinkley,” which, as we know, was perfectly correct, though not in just the way Hank meant it.
“How do I know where your Dutchman is,” growled Sam, “I tell you I’m through with you. I risked a lot to steal that lever and this is all the thanks I get for it. Gimme my money.”
Hank affected great surprise. So did Miles. They both stared at Sam as if they thought he had suddenly taken leave of his senses.
“Money? What money?” exclaimed Miles.
“Why, the money for crippling the machine.”
A cunning smile crept over Miles’s face.
“Yes, the money for crippling the machine!” he sneered, “but you see, my young friend, you didn’t do any such thing. In fact, for all we know, you never went near it.”
“So you’re going to cheat me out of it, eh?” roared Sam. “But you won’t. I’ll see the police, I’ll——”
But he stopped short as Miles burst into a roar of ironical laughter.