"That's it? And _it_ is what?"
Then Joe said disgustedly: "Surely! It's the trick of loading CO_2
bottles with explosive gas, too! Excuse me!"
He got up from the table and hurried out. He found a phone booth and got
the Shed, and then the security office, and at long last Major Holt. The
Major's tone was curt.
"Yes?... Joe?... The three men from the affair of the lake were tracked
this morning. When they were cornered they tried to fight. I am afraid
we'll get no information from them, if that's what you wanted to know."
The Major's manner seemed to disapprove of Joe as expressing curiosity.
His words meant, of course, that the three would-be murderers had been
fatally shot.
Joe said carefully: "That wasn't what I called about, sir. I think I've
found out something about the pushpots. How they're made to crash. But
my hunch needs to be checked."