"Search him, I tell you!" roared Grattan. "Are you all a pack of fools? He didn't throw the ruby into the river."
"But we saw him," insisted Pardo.
"You saw his handkerchief go into the river, but it was only a trick. Do you think he would sacrifice the ruby, even to prevent me from getting it? Search him, I tell you."
The search was made, and thoroughly. Motor Matt's pockets were turned inside out, but without result. Garment by garment his clothes were stripped away and crushed in eager hands, but still without result.
The ruby was as large as a small hen's egg, and not easily to be hidden.
McGlory had gone into a trance again. As he lay on the seat and stared, he wondered if Matt had really tossed the priceless gem into the Hudson.
"He hasn't got it, Grattan," announced Pardo.
"Then his friend has it," answered Grattan confidently. "Search him."
Thereupon the cowboy came in for his share of the rough handling. Matt once more got into his clothes. Just as the search of McGlory was finished, Motor Matt was reaching for his cap, which had tumbled off in the scuffle in the other room, and had been thrown into the saloon after the boys had entered it.
"Nothing here," announced Pardo, as he turned from McGlory.