Under His Thumb — page 147: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

138° UNDER HIS THUMB. his shrewdness was “appreciated by this clear- sighted detective. The policeman stared at him in bewilderment. ‘So you didn’t leave the house when you broke the glass?’’ he exclaimed. “Not much. I broke the window for you and Mr. Blain to go out by. When you were gone, I went out by the door, that you left open for my benons sé said Steve. Croly smiled again, and the policeman sca. He recognized the detective, but did not fancy being defrauded of his revenge for the lad’s trick. « ‘“T have orders to arrest the boy he said, deter- minedly. ‘““‘Who gave you the orders?”’ Croly asked. ‘‘Mr. Blain.”’ “Well, I will take the liberty of coun them. I tell you to let the boy alone.’ ‘IT must do my duty, Mr. Croly.’”’ ‘“You’re not obliged to do an impossibility.” “What do you mean?’’ “If you take him you will have to take me, too, and I won’t give in withouta struggle. Soif you are going to pull us both in, begin the picnic as soon as you can, and have it over with.”’ Without waiting for the officer to ‘“‘begin the pic- nic,’ however, Croly hastily led the youngster toward a passing car, stepped aboard, and before the slower.brained officer could make up his mind what to do, he was too far in the rear to do anything. The detective took his boy assistant to his private quarters. Scarce a word passed between them during the trip. But in the detective’s private room Steve gave expression to his wonder in a low whistle. ecomicbooks.co mn 3