“Well, then, I must be related to ’em. ’Cause why? ’Cause Hen Morgan can smell money. And—’cause Hen Morgan is crazy for it. And——” he fixed them with a bleared eye and rubbed his hands—and the chums drew their ponies closer on the trail as he added:
“Oh, yes! Hen Morgan smells money—an’ he smells it on you, or around you—and he wants some of it!”
CHAPTER II
THE MYSTERY BOYS GET NEWS
“You talk one way and act the opposite!” Tom made his tones sarcastic to cover his inward trepidation. He was not exactly afraid for he did not think that the man had any weapon and they outnumbered him. But Tom wanted to communicate secretly and he did not see just how to do it.
The Mystery Boys had two secret sign manuals: one was for asking and answering questions, and the other was for suggesting a course of action. But neither had been planned for use while seated on ponies, and such signs as the folding of arms, or the tying of a shoelace, were out of the question. So Tom kept on talking while he thought busily.
“You say you can smell money,” he added, “and then you follow us out here to rob us. Why, I don’t think we could get enough money together to buy a bag of chili beans!”
Somewhat to his surprise the man made a violent gesture of denial.
He sidled his pony a little closer, put up a hand as if to drive away any suggestion of robbery, and spoke again in his husky voice.
“No, not that! Hen Morgan aren’t no robber. ’Cause why? ’Cause robbers takes chances. They takes some likely person and risks getting a lot of money—and sometimes they guess wrong. But not Henry Morgan. Oh, no! ’Cause why? ’Cause he don’t guess. He smells money.”
The chums looked at one another dubiously. Was this man off his head? He wasn’t there to rob them! He didn’t guess—he smelled money! What was his purpose? “You smelled wrong, for once!” Tom declared, after a moment.