“If you heard the way he stormed at the boy inside that tent you’d believe it easy enough!” declared Billy. “Why, he must have had the poor fellow trembling like anything for fear he would be knocked down.”
“Now, supposing you devote the rest of this afternoon to watching your chance to talk with Cale,” suggested the scout master.
Billy considered this for a moment.
“All right, Hugh,” he said, presently. “I can fix that easy enough. What ought I do if I get the chance; how shall I talk to him?”
“Try and find out just what sort of a hold the fakir has on him,” advised Hugh.
“You mean ask what he’s ever done to be so tight in the grip of such a bad man; is that the idea, Hugh?”
“Yes,” replied the other scout, “because if there was nothing except his fear of the man you’d think he would have run away long ago.”
“But, Hugh, you’re forgetting what I said before?” urged Billy.
“You mean about there being some sort of hypnotism which the ‘doctor’ exerts over Cale so as to make it impossible for him to break his bonds; is that what you’re referring to, Billy?”
“I’m as sure of it, Hugh, as that my name is Billy Worth.”