“What do you think of the smartness of that?” exclaimed Andy.  “And so of course poor old Cadger, who is as honest as the day is long, never suspected any trick, but went and opened the door a crack?”

“Just what he did,” returned the Chief, “and as that side of the bank was in the shadow he could only see the figure of a man, who slipped in alongside him.  Before he knew what was happening he was being chocked by a pair of strong hands.  Cadger started to struggle but another man must have joined the first, for he was knocked unconscious by a cruel blow, that’s left his face all bloody and after that he didn’t know a thing for an hour or two.”

“Whee! you’ve got me all worked up with your story, Chief,” said Andy again.  “I can just seem to see the whole thing happening.  And chances are, that when Cadger did come to, he found himself tied up, and unable to even whisper?”

“He had hard work to get enough breath, they had fastened the bandage across his mouth so tight; but he could see out of one eye.  And lying there, Cadger watched the two yeggs go through the whole operation of getting nitroglycerine planted, and using all sorts of clothes and even the rugs off the floor of the president’s room to deaden the sound of the explosion.”

“They were old hands at the business, that’s sure,” remarked Frank, when the officer paused to catch his breath; for he was talking unusually fast in his desire to give them all the particulars in as brief a space of time as possible.

“Yes, there can be no doubt of that,” the Chief went on to say, wagging his head wisely; “and they had been able in some way to get on to a lot of things that make us wonder like the name of the cashier and the night-watchman.  Looks mighty much like they must have had a friend around Bloomsbury, who put them wise to those facts.  Then they seemed to have the running of the trains down pat also; for long after they had their arrangements made they just sat down and waited until the freight going north and passing Bloomsbury at two-eighteen was pounding up-grade from Deering’s Crossing, and making all manner of noise.”

“Oh! to think of the smartness of that, would you?” burst out Andy.  “I was wondering how they could blow open the safe, and the sound of the explosion never even be heard over at Headquarters, only half a block away; but now I see how it could be done.  Just like a fellow says he can pull a hair out of your head, and you not feel it; and he makes out to give you a thump on the head with his other hand at the same time, so of course you never notice him pulling the hair.”

“Just about on the same principle,” said the officer, nodding; “for when that heavy freight goes pounding past the station, it makes enough noise to drown almost any sort of sound.  The windows rattle, and we always have to stop talking until the caboose gets past.  And that was the time they chose to explode their juice, with an absolute certainty that no policeman’s ear would hear a single thing.”