'Mind this—that you are responsible for them,' he added harshly.
The man saluted, and Ken and Roy, who had hardly expected to leave the place alive, found themselves marched back down the evil-smelling street and shut up once more in the same hovel as before.
Roy turned to Ken as the key clicked in the lock behind them.
'This is a rum go,' he said in great astonishment. 'What's it mean? Who is the Johnny with the fat tummy and the bloodshot eyes? Why was he so quiet with you? What—?'
'Steady, old man!' cut in Ken. 'One question at a time. Didn't you hear his name?'
'What—Henkel? Yes.'
He broke off with a gasp.
'You don't mean to say he is the sweep that tried to swindle your father out of his coal mine?'
'You've hit it, Roy—hit it in once. That's the very same chap, though I never knew before that he was a colonel. He recognised me as soon as I spotted him.'
'But what's his game?' demanded Roy. 'I should have thought he would have been only too pleased to get you shot out of hand. If your father is dead, you're next heir to the coal.'