"Den you vent to hunt for us," bubbled Carl, "and got yourself in some drouples."
"You mean," laughed Dashington, with a taunt in his voice, "that he came to the hut to give us back the diamonds. It was a raw play, and that was what it amounted to."
Jurgens, in futile rage, ground his teeth.
"This will be the last of the diamonds," called Matt, from forward, "so far as you are concerned, Jurgens."
"I hope it will be the last of Townsend too," scowled Jurgens. "That fellow has dogged me from pillar to post ever since I left Atlantic City."
"And you young whelps helped Townsend," snarled Jurgens. "Well, we've made it expensive for you. That air ship has made its last trip."
Dick Ferral sobered immediately. Recent exciting events had kept his mind off the untimely fate of the _Hawk_, but now the loss of the air ship recurred to him with added significance.
"I was in love with that craft," said he. "She saved our lives more than once, and she helped us turn a good many tricks for law and order. Not only that, but she has made for us five or six times the amount of money she cost us. Poor little ship! I suppose she'll hang in that oak tree till the crack o' doom."
"Forget about it, old chap," said Matt. "Her last cruise was the best of all, for she helped me redeem my promise to Archibald Townsend. There's the town ahead," he added, "and we'll stop there for supper and to send some one back along the road to capture Whistler and Bangs."
"They'll keep clear of any one you send," growled Jurgens, "I'll guarantee that."
"Whose automobile is this, Jurgens?" queried Dick.
"It belongs to a firm in New Orleans," he replied, with a leer. "We rented it and were going to forget to take it back."
"Why didn't you leave town when Townsend let you go, that other time?" Matt went on, hoping for an answer to a question that had long bothered him.
"Because we believed Townsend had got the loot that was in the iron chest," said Jurgens, "and we had as much right to it as he had."
Just here Matt swerved from the street of the town and came to a halt in front of a public house.
"We'll go in and eat, Motor Matt," said Dashington, with a significant look at the young motorist, "and Carl and Dick can stay here and keep watch over the machine and Jurgens. We can send them a hand-out."