"Two of them, as you know, were probably killed by the dogs. The
others may well have died of cold. At night when the heat was off
and the windows open. The cleaning woman wouldn't have been likely
to notice them when she swept the bodies out. And, sooner or later,
if Ross had continued to insert Red Dots through the keyhole one of
them would have bitten you, Dorr, and the Canned Meat Trust would
have gone on its way rejoicing."

"Well, you've certainly saved my life," declared Dorr, "and it's a
case of sheer force of reasoning."

Average Jones shook his head. "You might give some of the credit to
Providence," he said. "Just one little event would have meant the
saving of the Italian child, and of Professor Moseley, and the death
of yourself, instead of the other way around."

"And that event?" asked Mr. Curtis Fleming.

"Five degrees of frost in Bridgeport," replied Average Jones.



CHAPTER III

OPEN TRAIL


"Not good enough," said Average Jones, laying aside a sheet of paper
upon which was pasted a newspaper clipping. "We can't afford
luxuries, Simpson."