Devlin bit his lip and frowned. "It's nonsense! What's wrong with you, Timmy, eh?" "What wouldn't be wrong, hah?" Nickie retorted sullenly. "If he'd stayed in the pen he wouldn't got no worse treatment than you give him--shuttin' him up a month in this hole till he's all shot. I ain't sayin' that it ain't better late than never, but even up in Delafield they don't keep a guy shut away from the daylight. Timmy or none of us _asked_ you to spring us so you might give us a break an' treat us like human bein's." Devlin's lips were set and grim and his beetle brows were so drawn that they made a deep furrow above his large nose. "Listen, you," he said angrily, "any more talk like that from you and you'll regret it. I'm running this and whether you did or didn't ask to be sprung, makes no difference. You'll keep your mouth shut--_understand_!" The Greeks, smiling and silent until then, emitted a sound of dismay. Nickie mumbled something under his breath but made no other answer for the warning note in Devlin's voice was not to be misunderstood. Skippy gulped, and just then they heard the unmistakable sound of an old car chugging along through the narrow swamp trail. Presently Frost appeared in the clearing, driving an ancient, dilapidated car that groaned and ground to a stop. The sight of it was amusing and the boys stared at it, smiling and curious. Timmy, however, did not share this curiosity. He had taken one look at the car, and fainted. CHAPTER XIV TALK AMONG FRIENDS The day dragged by and though Timmy seemed to have recovered from the effects of his spell, he moped around, melancholy and wrapped in his own gloomy thoughts. "He's goin' nuts, that's what he is," Nickie whispered to Skippy after the evening meal was over. "That's why we ain't stayin' to get like him," Skippy whispered back. Nickie winked and nodded. He was beginning to see Skippy's point of view more and more. They had cleared away the dishes and sat down to a game of cards at Shorty's suggestion, which was received with enthusiasm, and even Timmy had brightened and apparently put out of his mind the fears that had so unnerved him during the day. Just before dusk, Devlin and Frost went out and locked the back door behind them. The boys hurried to the two back windows and peered out through the chinks in the shutters to watch the men go to the barn and presently back out in the queer looking car. "Wonder where they're goin'?" Skippy asked of no one in particular. "Oh, they'll be back," said Timmy grimly. "For _me_!" He lunged back to the table and took up his hand of cards with grim determination. "Atta boy!" Skippy said. "Gee, Timmy, don't get down again, huh? Devlin can't _make_ you do nothin' you don't wanta. You'll soon find out what he's gonna tell you to do. Beat it after that; soon's you get the chance."