“So-o-o-o!” fairly hissed Heiny, on his side of the wall, “veel, Mister Schmardty, maype dot der Tutch poy is not so much of chump as you dink.”
“Well, what did he tell you?” demanded Miles impatiently.
“About all I wanted to know. I posed as being interested in young Nevins, but not wanting him to know that I was around till the success or failure of the Electric Hydroaeroplane was assured.”
“Now comes it oudt,” muttered Heiny, pricking up his ears.
“Yes, and then--upon my word you are slow. Hank,” came Miles’s voice.
“Humph! that’s all the thanks I get after all the work I’ve done,” came in an aggrieved voice from Hank.
“That’s all right, Hank. Of course I know you’ve done well. But get down to cases.”
“Well, then,” continued Hank in a sulky tone, “I learned that the Electric Monarch is completed. The trial trip will probably take place to-morrow morning, or it may be delayed till night. If we mean to strike, we must do so quickly.”
“Yes, if we can’t get hold of the plans we must do all we can to cripple the ship, for if once it is a proved success, our game is up.”
“That’s right. Confound that young cousin of mine. He’s checkmated me.”
“Not quite yet, Hank,” was the confident reply. “Even if we don’t get a chance to injure the ship or steal the plans, I’ve yet another scheme up my sleeve--a legal one.”
“Yes, I’m smart enough for that. But we won’t work it till the time comes. In the meanwhile we must do what we can to stop this trial trip from coming off.”
“No, I confess I hadn’t till you told me about that Dutch boy. Why can’t we use him?”
“Ah-ha! So-o-o-o I am a dunderhead, too, iss idt?” growled Heiny from his side of the partition. “I’m dunderheadt midt ears on my dunderheadt, though, py chiminys!”
He started counting on his pudgy fingers.
“Chump! Dutchman! Dunderheadt! Dot makes three! Very veel, Hank, I makes it all ger-skvare midt you before I gedts drough, I bet me.”
“Of course he’s a bonehead,” came the other voice, which made poor Heiny squirm.
“But that’s all the better for our purpose. If he had any sense he might suspect something. As it is----”
“He don’d know somedings,” chuckled Heiny to himself.
“Hanged if I can see what you are driving at,” growled Hank. “I wouldn’t employ that Dutchman to mop off a floor.”