Outside the door, a statue of patience, Squire Hexter was waiting.

"I didn't use my pull as a director to get underfoot in there, Brother
Starr. No, just as soon as I heard that the boy, here, was all right I
stepped out and coaxed out all the others I could prevail on. What has
been done about starting the general hue and cry about those robbers?"

Starr stammered when he said that he supposed that the local constable
had notified the sheriff.

"I attended to that, myself! Dorsey could think of only one thing at
a time. But I reckoned you had taken some steps to make the call more
official. The state police ought to be on the job."

"I'll attend to it." But Mr. Starr did not display particularly urgent
zeal.

"Well, son, we'll toddle home! What say?"

Vaniman did not say. He was choking. Reaction and grief and anxiety were
unnerving him. Starr did the saying. "The cashier and I have a lot of
things to go over, Squire, and he plans to spend the night with me at
the tavern."

"I see!" returned the notary, amiably, showing no surprise. He called a
cheery "Good night!" when he left them at the tavern door.

Landlord Files gave them a room with two beds. Without making any bones
of the thing, Examiner Starr pushed his bed across the door and then
turned in and snored with the abandon of one who had relieved himself of
the responsibility of keeping vigil.

CHAPTER XVI

LOOKED AT SQUARELY

The bank examiner and the cashier were down early to breakfast.

Starr had slept well and was vigorously alert. Vaniman was haggard and
visibly worried. Both of them were reticent.

Vaniman felt that he had nothing to say, as matters stood.

Starr was thinking, rather than talking. He snapped up Files when the
landlord meekly inquired whether there were any clews. Files retreated
in a panic.

"Vaniman," said the examiner, when they pulled on their coats under the
alligator's gaping espionage, "this is going to be my busy day and I
hope you feel like pitching into this thing with me, helping to your
utmost."

"You can depend on me, Mr. Starr."

"I don't intend to bother you with any questions at present except to
ask about the routine business of the bank. So you can have your mind
free on that point."

They went to the bank and relieved Britt.

"Go get your breakfast and come back here as soon as you can," Starr
commanded, plunging into matters with the air of the sole captain of the
craft. "And call a meet