“Yes, they would, but—” “Is this Bob Chapin a particular friend of yours?” “Not particularly.” “Is he in with this Mersfeld?” “No, not any more than—By Jove!” Bill checked himself suddenly. The remembrance of Chapin talking earnestly to Mersfeld and North came back to him. “Ah!” exclaimed the professor knowingly, as he rubbed his hands. “I fancy we are getting at something. Now if our friend Tithonus Somnus were here we would get him to read the stars for us, but, in his absence I’ll venture to give you a bit of advice, Bill.” “What is it, Mr. Clatter.” “You may consider this in the light of a warning,” went on the medicine vendor earnestly. “Don’t have anything to do with the trick of painting the statue, Bill; or if you do—” He paused significantly. “Well, if we do?” repeated Bill. “If you do, then play the double cross, and catch your enemies in the net they have spread for you,” was the reply in a low voice. Bill started, and, as he did so there came a cautious knock at the door of the wagon. “Who’s there?” asked the professor quickly. “It’s me—Tithonus,” was the answer in a hoarse whisper. “Let me in—quick! The police are after me!” CHAPTER XX THE PLOTTERS CAUGHT Professor Clatter swung wide the door, and the figure of the rain-maker toppled in, rather than walked. “Quick! Shut it and lock it!” he cried, and he assisted in the operation. Then he passed beyond the small room in the rear of the wagon—a room that served as dining hall, living apartment, sitting room and parlor, and in a few seconds Mr. Somnus could be heard crawling into one of the bunks. “If they come for me—you haven’t seen me, of course,” came his voice in muffled tones, indicating that his head was under the bed clothes. “Of course not, my dear Tithy,” replied the professor. “And, in fact, so quick was your passage through, like a half back making a touchdown, to use a phrase doubtless familiar to my friend Bill Smith—to use that phrase, I have scarcely seen you. But what is the matter? Why this haste? There doesn’t seem to be any one following you—at least not at your heels.” “Are you sure?” asked the muffled voice. “Sure, yes, Tithy,” replied the medicine man, after a moment of listening. “No one is coming. But what in the world is the matter?” “Oh, it’s an unfortunate mistake I made,” was the answer. “If you’ll wait a while, to make sure the police and sheriffs officers are not after me, I’ll come out and explain.” “I wish you would, Tithy, for Bill and I are much in the dark.” After a wait of several minutes, during which Bill wondered what in the world could have caused the rain-maker to flee in such terror, the individual in question came out of the compartment devoted to the sleeping bunks. “Well?” asked the professor.