Ike Slump and Mort Bemis tallied precisely to the old woman's description of her "insurance inspectors" visitors.
Their call at the old house had evidently been made on the afternoon of the day when Slump and Bemis had decoyed Ralph to the Stiggs cottage.
Ralph reasoned that if they had got the documents in question, they had them now, for their arrest had followed within a few hours of their rifling of the trunk.
"I want you to do something for me, Slavin, if you will," said Ralph, leading his companion out of hearing of the crowd.
"All right," was the prompt response.
"Something urgent and important."
"Fire away—I'm yours truly."
"Can you get word for me to my friend, Van Sherwin?"
"Sure."
"To-night?"
"At any and all times. We arranged that with the road detective."
"Very well," said Ralph. "I want you to deliver a note to Van. It will take some time to write it, so you will have to come up to the house with me, and wait till I get it ready."
They proceeded forthwith in the direction of
