The others also had heard and they were on their feet when Tom entered. A volley of questions was fired at him. The valet shook his head.

“Don’t eat a man. It’s all right. Everything looks clear, but Mr. Hughes and Bungey are scouting round to make sure. They’ll be back in a jiffy.”

Labar judged that it might be time to create a diversion. A half-suspicion had come into his mind, but he scarcely believed it himself.

“Looks to me as though he had left the rest of you to hold the baby,” he announced in level tones. “While you’re monkeying about here like a lot of sapheads Larry and Billy are on their way. They’ve played you for a gang of suckers.”