Page:Harry Castlemon - The Steel Horse.djvu/116

 my home is in Mount Airy. If you don't want to take my word for it, tell your hackman to drive us to the Lafayette House. You will find a couple of my friends there, and in an hour I can bring a hundred more from among 'New London's best businessmen."

"If you have so many acquaintances in the city, why did you put up at a hotel? That statement will hardly wash."

"It's the truth whether it will wash or not," Roy insisted. "Having just so much time at our disposal, we made all our arrangements before we left home, and we didn't want our friends to interfere with our plans in any way. You may save yourself trouble by going to my hotel."

"No; I don't guess I would," replied the detective, with a yawn. "I'd a little rather trust Willis than you, for you know that you are full of tricks, and that you came within one of giving me the slip two years ago. Remember it, don't you?"

Roy replied that it had slipped his mind entirely, and then went back to the point from which he started, hoping that by setting