human
Gewhittaker! exclaimed Tom,
gpt
I should think you have fell off! But say, Bob, what's gone bad? What's done it?
human
Well, you know the boy I told you about, what's chummin' with me?
gpt
Yes, the one I saw you with last night, I s'pose?
human
Yes, the same one. Well, he is lost.
gpt
Lost!
human
Yes; and Bob acquainted him with the facts of Herbert's disappearance.
gpt
Now, what do you think of it?
human
Looks bad,
gpt
So it does to me.
human
Foul play,
gpt
That's what I think.
human
Perhaps he has got tired of New York and has lit out.
gpt
No, not much. Vermont ain't no such boy.
human
Well, you know him best. Did he have any grip or anything?
gpt
Yes, he had a good suit and lots of other truck.
human
And they're in the room now?
gpt
Yes.
human
You're in luck, Bob. I'd like a chum as would slope and leave me a good suit.
gpt
Well, I wouldn't. No more would you, Tom Flannery,
human
I didn't mean nothin', said Tom, apologizing for the offense which he saw he had given.
gpt
Of course, I wouldn't want nobody to slope and leave his truck with me.
human
That's all right then, Tom, said Bob, forgivingly.
gpt
But now, what do you s'pose has become of him?
human
Well, it looks like he didn't go of his own free will, when he left everything behind him.
gpt
Of course it does, and I know he didn't.
human
I don't like that duffer--what d'ye call him?
gpt
Felix Mortimer, repeated Bob.
human
I'm sure that's the name Herbert give me.
gpt
Well, I'll bet that he's put up the job.
human
I think so myself. You see he knew Randolph wasn't no city chap.
gpt
That's so, and he knew he'd have the drop on him. But I don't just see, after all, how he could get away with him.
human
Well, he might have run him into some den or other.
gpt
And drugged him?
human
Well, perhaps so. There are piles of ways them fellers have of doin' such jobs.
gpt
I know they're kinder slick about it sometimes. But, say, Bob, continued Tom, earnestly,
human
So he may, and probably is, if he is alive.
gpt
Why, Bob, they wouldn't kill him, would they?
human
No, I don't suppose so, not if they didn't have to.
gpt
Why would they have to do that?
human
Well, sometimes folks has to do so--them hard tickets will do 'most anything. You see, if they start in to make way with a feller, and they are 'fraid he'll blow on 'em, and they can't make no other arrangement, why then they just fix him so he won't never blow on nobody.
gpt
Bob, it's awful, ain't it?
human
Yes, it is. There are a pile of tough gangs in this city that don't care what they do to a feller.
gpt
What do you s'pose they've done with your chum?
human
Well, that's just what I want to know, said Bob, seriously.
gpt
I am going to try to find out, too. There are tough dens in them cross streets running out of the Bowery.
human
They won't do worse nor keep him a prisoner, will they, Bob?
gpt
Probably they won't, not 'less they think he will blow on 'em. You see they've got to look out for themselves.
human
That's so, Bob, but why couldn't they send him off somewhere so he couldn't blow on 'em?
gpt
They might do that, too.
human
But they would get him so far away he couldn't get back to New York never, I suppose?
gpt
Yes, that's the idea. They might run him off to sea, and put him on an island, or somethin' like that. I can't say just what they might do if they have their own way. But the idea is this, Tom Flannery, _we must stop 'em_, said Bob, emphatically,
human
That's the boss idea, Bob, replied Tom, with emphasis.
gpt
But I don't see just how we're goin' to do it, do you?
human
Well, no, I can't see the whole game, not now. But we must commence, and when we get a few points, we can slide ahead faster.
gpt
I wouldn't know how to commence.
human
Well, I do; I thought that all out last night, and I'm only waiting till ten o'clock. Then I'll steer for the bank where Herbert worked.
gpt
Bob, you beat all the boys I know of, said Tom, eying him with admiration.
human
None of 'em would ever think of doin' the things you do, and they couldn't do 'em if they did, that's all. And now you're goin' to do the detective act!