A moment later the man was out of sight, Hugh and the two detectives
still after him, shouting and calling to him to halt. Meanwhile the fire
in the house roared and blazed.
"She's a goner," said Sergeant Riley. He stood beside Mr. Cook and Bob as
they watched the burning building.
"I guess she is," remarked Mr. Cook. "There's nothing we can do."
"Nothing," agreed the sergeant.
"It's not much loss anyway," said Mr. Cook.
"No loss at all," exclaimed Bob. "It's a gain if anything, for it makes
one less place for spies and plotters to meet in."
"But any evidence that might have been in there is destroyed,"
said Riley.
"I never thought of that," said Bob. "That's probably why they
burned it."
"Was that your detective running off through the woods?" asked the
sergeant.
"It certainly was," said Bob. "I guess he was one of the gang after all.
I suppose they left him behind to watch us."
"Then why did he let you get away?" his father replied.
"Probably he thought it would create less suspicion," said Sergeant
Riley.
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