“So? Well, lad, I can’t look out for other people. Number One—which is Kelly, d’ye mind—is enough fer me to take care of.”
“If I’m a thief, why doesn’t Levitt take me to Hempstead and have me locked up by the police?”
“Levitt doesn’t want to disgrace ye by such a move. Bein’ locked up by the police gives a lad a bad record. Ye’re far an’ away better off with me here. We’re to be together three days, and——”
“Three days!”
“The same—no more, no less. We’re going to get along like old cronies, if ye only behave. Now for the gag.”
Matt submitted while the cloth was put in place. Barely had Kelly finished when a car was heard puffing into the big room below.
Kelly jumped to a round opening in the floor, near one end of the room. It was a stovepipe hole, but the pipe was missing.
“One of the members, my lad,” said Kelly, turning away from his observation of the room underneath and speaking in a guarded voice. “I’ll have to go and look after the car. But ye won’t get lonesome against the time I come back. Ye’ve plenty to think of, I take it, an’ that will use up yer time.”
Kelly went out, slamming the door, and Matt could hear him hurrying down the stairs.
Three days! Matt was to be kept in the garage for three days!