“Well,” said Herman, “it was kind of surprising to have Hagle trying to do us a good turn. I guess I blurted out something of the sort. Anyway, Jack got more flustered than ever and more nervous, and between the way he mumbled and his wriggles when he turned to see if anybody was spying on us I didn’t catch half he said. But what I did catch seemed to be about being sorry for something or somebody. And then he broke off short, and beat it. Say! he slipped away like a snake almost! Funny chap, that Hagle, I tell you!”
“Seems to mean well, though,” Orkney observed.
Herman was glancing at Sam as leader of the clan. “What’s your notion about the business?” he asked.
“That for some reason or other Hagle is trying to do us a favor. I don’t know why—I don’t see how we can discover the reason. But we’d better take advantage of his tip.”
“How?” Orkney inquired.
“By going straight to Mr. Zorn and asking permission to stay where we are.”
“That’d be taking the bull by the horns.”
“It’s the best way. If we’ve got to leave, let’s go gracefully and not be kicked out.”
“That’s sense!” the Trojan declared.
“Right!” said Orkney. “But when will you look Mr. Zorn up?”