"Ah reckons you-all's got de wrong pig by de ear, boss," said the darky. "Ah didn't tote no iron chest fo' nobody."
"Stow it!" cried Dick, looking at the man keenly. "You're the swab, all right."
"Positive of it, Dick?" put in Matt.
"I'd take my solemn Alfred he's the man!"
"Then," went on Matt, quietly, "Bangs has probably paid him something to keep still! I'll watch him, Dick, while you go and get a policeman."
At that, the darky rolled up the whites of his eyes, and showed other signs of trepidation.
"Hol' up dar, cap'n," he called to Dick, who had started away. "Doan' go an' hurry off daterway. Mebby Ah was de feller. What ob it?"
"Now you're talking sensibly," said Matt. "Do you remember where you took the chest?"
"Ah doan jis' riccolect," the negro answered, scratching his woolly head. "Ah wisht Ah did, sah, if it would be any help t' yo, but mah mem'ry is dat sho't Ah done kain't seem tuh remembah nuffin'."
This was so plainly a falsehood that Matt turned to Dick.