"Besides, we've already put the case in the hands of the police and they've seen the safe for themselves. The sergeant said it was a professional job, all right, as neat a safe-cracking trick as he'd ever seen turned. I couldn't hush it up if I wanted to."
"I'll do what I can for Sally, lie like a gentleman for her, say she never joined up with us, we don't know where she is--anything you like, but I'm afraid you're bound to be the hero of Capital City before you're twenty-four hours older. Too bad, son, but I don't see how it can be helped," he twinkled.
"I don't care a rap about being a hero," David snapped. "The only thing in God's world I care about is Sally Ford. Listen, Mr. Bybee, tell the police that one of the other boys chased the crooks and took the money away from them. Let Eddie Cobb be the hero! Eddie'd like that, wouldn't you, Eddie?" he sang out to the freckle-faced youngster who was looking on, goggle-eyed, among the crowd that jammed the door of the stateroom.
"Aw, Dave!" Eddie protested, flushing brightly under his freckles.
"Sure you would like it!" David laughed feebly, sinking back to his pillows. "Listen, Mr. Bybee: this is Eddie Cobb's home town. He was raised in the orphanage, like Sally. He'd get a great kick out of being a hero to the kids at the Home. He can go with you to get the suitcases, after you've sent for the police to go along with you.
"I'll lie low, Eddie can tell the story I've told you, and the cops will never be the wiser. I can give him a pretty good description of Steve. I had plenty of chances to study his face after I'd knocked him out. I imagine he's beat it in his car by this time, if he was able to drive; otherwise you'll find him in the road just as I told you. Of course he'd know it wasn't Eddie that fought with him, but the police wouldn't have any reason to doubt Eddie's word."
"But Nita may have told him about you and me!" Sally cried. "Oh, David, don't bother about me! Take your chance while you have it to be cleared of those terrible charges! I--I'll go back to the Home and--and wait for you. I could stand it--somehow--if I knew you were back in college, a--a hero, and working for both of us. Please, David! Think of yourself, not me!"