Mayo's outlook on his own strictly personal affairs was as dismal as
his view of the Razee project in which his associates were concerned. He
went to the hotel merely because he had promised Burkett that he would
notify that modern buccaneer regarding any intended departure. He
despondently reflected that if Fogg and Burkett had agreed again, the
combination against him still existed. If they were persistently on the
outs, Burkett was merely a discredited agent whose word, without proofs,
could be as easily brushed away as his connection with Fogg in the'
matter of the Conomo. In fact, so Mayo pondered, he might find
association with Burkett dangerous, because demands for consideration
can be twisted into semblance of blackmail by able lawyers. He
entertained so few hopes in regard to any assistance from Burkett that
he was rather relieved to discover that the man was no longer a guest at
the hotel.
"Has he left town?"
"I suppose there's no secret about the thing," explained the clerk. "Mr.
Fogg had the man arrested yesterday, for threatening words and actions.
Something of that sort. Anyway, he is in jail and must give bonds to
keep the peace."
Mayo's flagging interest in the possibilities of Burkett as an aid in
his affairs was a bit quickened by that piece of news, and he hurried
up to the jail. If ever a captured and fractious bird of passage was
beating wings against his cage's bars in fury and despair, Mr. Burkett
was doing it with vigor. Mayo, admitted as a friend who might aid
in quelling the disturbance that was making the deafened jailers and
noise-maddened prisoners regret the presence of Mr. Burkett, found the
man clinging to the iron rods and kicking his foot against them.
"It's the last thing he did before he left town, this what he has done
to me. I can't give bonds. I don't know anybody in this city," raved the
prisoner.
"I'm afraid that I don't know the folks here very well, judging from my
experiences trying to raise money," stated Captain Mayo, after he had
quieted Burkett. "But I'll go out and see what I can do."
After some pleading he induced a fish wholesaler to go to the jail with
him and inspect Burkett as a risk in the matter of bonds. Mr. Burkett,
being a man of guile, controlled his wrath and offered a presentable
guise of mildness.
"But how am I going to know that he won't be hunting this enemy up as
soon as I give bonds?" asked the fishman.