The cowboy was weaving a tangled web. The farther he went in his deceptions the more he was obliged to misstate the facts. “You can go and come around the clubhouse,” continued Matt, “without being in any danger from the colonel and Levitt?” “That’s the way of it.” “Then our next move is to get back to Manhattan. And, of course, we’ll have to use the runabout.” “Why, Matt, we may run off the other end of Long Island if we try to use that chug cart!” “We’ve got to use it, just the same, and you’re the one to get it from the garage. The quicker we start on the return trip the better.” “You’re going to be at that meeting to-night?” “We’re both going to be there. You’re to offer the private report in evidence, and tell all about our adventures this morning. I guess that will spike the colonel’s gun and block his little game of wholesale robbery.” “Then my fortune will go glimmering,” said Joe, but not with much concern. “Better to let a questionable fortune go glimmering, pard,” answered Matt earnestly, “than to do a dishonest thing that would bother you all your life. And perhaps,” he added solemnly, “it might get you into jail.” “Wow!” shivered the cowboy, feigning trepidation. “That’s an elegant prospect--I don’t think.” “What’s more,” went on Matt, driving his suspicions home, “the colonel’s such a schemer that I doubt whether, if he should swindle the syndicate out of a lot of money, he ever turned over a penny of it to you or to any of the other original stockholders.” This caused the cowboy an inward tremor. But he allowed the fear to pass. Colonel Billings was his father’s friend--he had said so himself; and the colonel felt a responsibility for his welfare--which is also what the colonel had said himself. In the light of the colonel’s persuasions the cowboy was taking his word in everything. “Well,” remarked the cowboy, “the colonel is up against the real thing now. He’s due for such a slam as he never had before. We’re the boys to do it; eh, Matt?” “We’ll make a stand for the right,” said Matt, “and work shoulder to shoulder to win out. The colonel talks about a fortune. You and I can make plenty of money, Joe. I think we have proved that. The motors are mighty good friends to tie to, whether they’re hitched to submarines, automobiles, or aëroplanes. We’ll pin our faith to the explosive engine, and one of these days it will land us honestly in Easy Street.” The colonel, McGlory remembered, had mentioned “Easy Street.” But not as Matt had done it. The longer the cowboy talked with his chum the more he hated himself for the part he was playing. If he talked with Matt too long McGlory was sure his purpose would slip from him, and that he would let out everything about the inner history of the colonel’s manipulations of the “Pauper’s Dream.” “I’d like to look inside that manila envelope once more, pard,” said McGlory. “There’s a part of that private report I didn’t sabe, and I’d like to read it over again.”