"Aw, Ben Ali didn't know that," reflected Twomley. "Ben Ali must have thought he was still with the show, and sent this letter to him."
"What does the letter say?" asked Matt, with some impatience.
"It asked Dhondaram to finish his work as soon as possible and to join Ben Ali, with the money, in short order."
A silence followed, and during the silence the motor boys exchanged wondering looks.
"What was Dhondaram's work?" queried Twomley.
"Nothing more or less than putting Pard Matt out of the running," replied McGlory. "Ben Ali's on the warpath against Matt, because of what he did in Lafayette, and Dhondaram tried hard to wipe my pard off the slate."
"Ben Ali speaks of money," went on Twomley. "What does that mean?"
Burton muttered wrathfully.
"I'll bet a thousand," said he, "that refers to the proceeds of the afternoon performance in Jackson, which the ticket man and this Dhondaram tried to get away with. Ben Ali put up the job with Dhondaram, and the ticket man was helping them out."
"Matters must have been lively all around in Jackson," observed Twomley. "Dhondaram didn't get the money?"