At that moment a man Johnny had not noticed before, a young man with a boyish face but crafty eye, moved silently forward and whispered in the Chief’s ear.
“Where you boys been?” the Chief demanded almost savagely, as he wheeled about to face Drew and Tommy. “You know you are supposed to report to me every day. This is the fourth day. No report at all.”
“There’s our report.” Drew Lane held his ground. He pointed at the envelope on the Chief’s desk.
At that moment Johnny Thompson stole a look at Greasy Thumb and his man. The change that had come over them gave him a start. Gone were their dark and doleful looks. They seemed almost cheerful.
“If you please, Chief,” Greasy Thumb appeared to hesitate, “that’s a letter they took from me by force. I received it by Air Mail yesterday.”
“Yes, and I suppose your name is Robert Deering,” Drew Lane scoffed. Robert Deering was the name on the envelope.
The wily crook hesitated, but only for a space of seconds. “Chief,” he replied evenly, “it is. That’s my name. As you know, I have many enemies. I am living under an assumed name.”
Once more the man beside the Chief bent over to whisper in his ear. Drew Lane frowned.
“Is this all the evidence?” the Chief demanded of Drew.
“It is, except that they were near the scene of the Air Mail robbery last evening.”