“No, he won’t!” hissed Radwin, sharply.  “Benson hasn’t landed us yet, has he?  And he’s not going to, either!  I’ve one or two rods in pickle for that forward young scamp, and I’ll serve him to a fare-you-well yet!  Rhinds, I may yet find a way that will insure our getting all the submarine orders!”

“You’re ingenious enough, I know, Fred,” admitted the older man, in a worried voice.  “I hope you’ll win for us.  It will be money enough in your pocket to satisfy even you, Fred. Still, I’m worried by the way your plans against Benson have already missed fire.”

Out in the hallway, at that moment, they heard a voice that made them both start.  The voice was not loud, but it was angry, determined, and carried well.  It was the voice of a man sweeping aside the objections of a hotel servant.

“Don’t tell me they’re not in, you idiot!”

“The servant I paid to be on the lookout is trying to steer away some one that insists on seeing us,” whispered Fred Radwin, listening intently.

“Neither of the gentlemen are in, I tell you, sir,” replied the hotel servant, doggedly.

“Get out of the way, fellow!  I know the number of their suite of rooms, and I’m going to it.  I don’t want to hurt you, fellow, but I’m the Chief of Police, and I mean to see Mr. Radwin without delay!”

“The Chief of Police!” gasped Radwin, feeling his knees weaken under him.

He and Rhinds stared uneasily at each other.

“You see him first,” whispered Fred Radwin.  “I’ve some things in my pockets that I wouldn’t want the chief of police to find.  Hold the police fellow by telling him I’ll be right in.”

With that Radwin slipped to the door of a connecting room in the suite.  He passed through, closing the door noiselessly and slipping the key in the lock.

An instant later John Rhinds opened his door out into the hallway.

“Who is it to see us?” he called.

“It’s I, Ward, time Chief of Police,” replied the caller, stepping into the room.  “You are Mr.—­”

“Rhinds.”

“I wish to see your Mr. Radwin.  I have a message for him.”

“Be seated, Chief,” urged the rascal.  “Mr. Radwin will be here in a moment.”

“Where is Radwin now?” demanded the chief.

“In the next room.  He’ll be here in a moment.”

“Did he go through that door?” asked Chief Ward.

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll see him at once,” replied the official.

He stepped over and tried the knob of the door.  Finding the bolt shot, Chief Ward promptly put his stalwart shoulder to the door.  At the second bump the door yielded.  Ward burst into the next room, then on to the third.

“Why did you trick me, Mr. Rhinds?” called the chief, angrily.

“I?  Why—­I—­”

Radwin was not to be found.

The Chief of Police, angry at being baffled in his search for Radwin, went away declaring that he would have an order issued for the arrest of Rhinds as an accessory.