“You might as well save your breath to cool your porridge,” quoth Dig, grinning. “My chum is going to get back those deeds, and don’t you forget it!”
“What deeds?” snarled the man. “You’re trying to rob me. Better let my wallet alone.”
But there was nothing in the nature of deeds about the fellow, although Chet examined his clothes carefully. The boy’s hopes sank very low as he proceeded with the search.
The man snarled at him and threatened, but Chet thought that he seemed disturbed himself over the result of the investigation. Chet went toward Tony and that scoundrel cried:
“You won’t get nothin’ off ’n me, young Havens. Sue a beggar and get his rags—that’s all. Don’t know nothin’ about no deeds. Go away!”
But Chet insisted on searching him, and Dig helped. Then, when they had come to a resultless finish, the two boys stood up and looked at each other.
They had found and made prisoners the men who they knew had robbed them; but the main object to be attained—the recovery of the precious papers Chet was carrying to Grub Stake—seemed just as far off as ever. Neither of the captives was in possession of the deeds.
CHAPTER XXV—CHET’S DETERMINATION
“By the last hoptoad that was chased out of Ireland!” Dig vowed. “Have we chased these snoozers all this way for nothing?”
“Let’s search ’em again,” insisted Chet grimly. “They took those deeds out of my pocket and they have them somewhere.”