"What were you hanging around here for?" Mr. Swift demanded quickly.

"Me? Oh, well, me an' Sam Snedecker was out takin' a walk. That's
all."

"You didn't want to rob the bank, did you?" went on the inventor,
keenly.

"Of course not," roared the bully, indignantly. "I ain't got no
burglar tools."

Andy told more along the same line, but his testimony of having seen
Tom near the bank, with a bag of odd tools could not be shaken. In
fact it was true, as far as it went, but, of course, the tools were
only those for the airship; the same ones Mr. Sharp had sent the lad
after. Sam Snedecker was called in after Andy, and told substantially
the same story.

Mr. Swift could not understand it, for he knew nothing of Tom being
sent for the tools, and had not heard any talk at home of the bag of
implements ordered by the balloonist. Still, of course, he knew Tom
had nothing to do with the robbery, and he knew his son had been at
home all the night previous. Still this was rather negative evidence.
But the inventor had one question yet to ask.

"You say you also suspect Mr. Damon of complicity in this affair?" he
went on, to the chief of police.

"We sure do," replied Mr. Simonson.