Part 138

“By gad, I'm not going to jail--not for anybody!”

Fogg removed his eye-glasses and gave the man a full, unblinking stare.

“Did you try to dynamite that wreck?”

“Is that orders--orders to talk right out?”

“Orders? I don't know what you mean, sir. I have asked you a plain question.”

“And you want an answer?”

“Naturally.”

“What I tried to do didn't work--he was too quick for me. There, now, get together! He has made you a fair offer, Mr. Fogg. There's no need of my going to jail. I won't go!”

“You ought to go, for what you did!” commented Fogg, dryly.

“No, for what he didn't do--from your standpoint,” suggested Captain Mayo.

“And you have been boasting, eh?” Fogg kept up his disconcerting stare, with fishy eyes.

“I ain't going to let men walk over me and wipe their feet on me when I'm obeying orders.”

“Orders from whom, sir?”

“Condemn it all, orders from men who can protect me by saying one word! I ain't going to stand all this riddle-come-ree business! Flat down, now, Mr. Fogg, what say?”

“Not a word! If what this fellow says is true, you ought to be in jail.”

“The advice is good. He'll be there very soon,” declared Mayo, starting for the telephone. Fogg replaced his eye-glasses and began to read.

“I'm ready to blow up!” warned the man. He hurried across the room and guarded the telephone with outspread arms.

“Both of you will be sorry if the police are called,” he cried. To Mayo, who was close to him, he mumbled, “Damn him, if he dumps me like this you're going to be the winner!”

There was so much reality in the man's rancor that Mayo was impressed and seized upon the idea which came to him.

“We'll test your friend,” he whispered, clutching the man, and making pretense of a struggle. “I'll fake a call. Keep wrestling.”

Fogg gave only indifferent attention to the affair in the corner of the room.

With one hand holding down the receiver-arm Mayo called; he was pushed about violently, but managed to say: “Desk? Call police to hotel--lobby--at once!”

“Mr. Fogg,” pleaded the man, giving Mayo an understanding nudge with his elbow, “ain't you going to give me a chance for a private talk?”

“If you ever speak to me or try to see me again I'll have you arrested.”

“But you're dumping me.”

“Get out of this room, both of you! I don't want the police up here.”

Mayo clapped hand on his prisoner's shoulder and pushed him out.

“Go down-stairs slow,” protested the man. “He is bound to come out and call me back! He's got to! He doesn't dare to dump me!”