“Yep, that’s right,” a second gruff voice replied.
“Them shoes now,” the first voice went on. “We left ’em. See you got ’em all cleaned up for us.” Goggles had found a pair of shoes and had scraped the mud from them in search of clues.
“Yes, I—” Goggles’ voice faded out.
“Well that’s O.K., buddy,” said the first voice again. “We’ll just get on into the little bedroom and look for a thing or two.”
“The little bedroom.” That was where Johnny found himself at that instant. Like a rabbit that has sighted a dog, he was up and silently away. In truth he went out of the side door to vanish into the shadows of a broad old pine tree.
Well enough that he did too, for a moment later he heard one of the strangers say to Goggles in a tone not so friendly:
“Boy! We left something in a dresser drawer in that little bedroom. You cleaned in there yet?”
“No, I—I’ve not been out of this room.” Goggles stammered a little, but had spoken the simple truth.
After looking him over from head to foot, the speaker turned on his heel and left the house. He was followed by his pardner.
“Whew!” Goggles breathed five minutes later, “What do you think of that?”