Pete the Finn sat down.

Thaler looked thoughtful for a moment, and went away without saying or showing what he had thought.

His going made the others impatient. None wanted to remain until anybody else had time to accumulate a few guns in the neighborhood.

In a very few minutes Elihu Willsson and I had the library to ourselves.

We sat and looked at one another.

Presently he said:

“How would you like to be chief of police?”

“No. I’m a rotten errand boy.”

“I don’t mean with this bunch. After we’ve got rid of them.”

“And got another just like them.”