“I suppose you might as well tell me who the party was from whom you got your news, Joe,” he remarked; though without any particular object in view, since he could hardly expect to hunt the other up, and ask more questions.

And then came the answer, that gave Frank quite a thrill, as he grasped the peculiar significance of it all.

“Why, you know him all right, Frank,” said Officer Green, glibly, “he’s the pilot of the little lake steamer, and his name’s Todd Pemberton!”

CHAPTER XI

COMPARING NOTES

“He must have hurried up to Headquarters, then, as soon as he landed, because we saw the Mermaid crossing the northern end of the lake, bound for the lumber camp, before heading for Bloomsbury.  How about it, Joe?” Frank went on to ask, as soon as he had recovered from his surprise after hearing that particular name mentioned.

“Said he heard about the robbery,” came over the wire in Officer Green’s ponderous tones; “and the fact of the raskils skipping out with the Carberry boy’s biplane, as soon as he put foot ashore; and thinking that the police might like to know what he had seen, he just ran all the way here.”

“Which I take it was mighty thoughtful of Todd,” declared Frank, drily; but if he spoke sarcastically the fact was not known to the man at the other end.

“I told him so, and complimented him on his zeal in assisting the course of justice,” the other continued, “which was all the more remarkable, you know, Frank, because, to tell the truth, Todd himself was once a bad egg, until he reformed, and got his present job.  It does him great credit, sure it does.”

“He went away after letting you know that if you hoped to capture the thieves you’d have to chase southwest, and not north, didn’t he, Joe?”

“Oh! yes, about ten minutes ago, I reckon.  But I assured him that if we did succeed in capturing the rogues he would not be forgotten in the division of the reward that was sure to be offered by the bank for the recovery of the money and securities that were taken, not to speak of the five hundred young Carberry has said he would pay for the recovery of his biplane and the arrest of the thieves.”

“That was nice of you, Joe; but only what might be expected because your heart is as big as a bushel basket,” Frank went on to say, “and when you told Todd that, how did he take it?”

“Why, he just chuckled, and looked at me kind of funny, and said he never hoped to take any of the hard-earned reward money that the police were justly entitled to because of their activities,” replied the other.

“It’s plain to be seen that Todd is a generous fellow.  But I’m obliged to you, Joe, for giving me this information, because, you see, we’ve now got some foundation to build on.  Goodbye, Joe!”

With that Frank rang off.  He knew that he might chat with the gossipy police officer in Bloomsbury for at least fifteen minutes, but what was the use, when he already knew all the other had to tell?