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〃Yes； sir；〃 Lieutenant Hepplewhite said and flashed a sickly grin。
Because it had been Lieutenant Hepplewhite who had awakened Captain Deemer out of his bed。 It had been the only thing to do； the proper thing to do； and the lieutenant knew the captain didn't blame him personally for it； but nevertheless the act had made Lieutenant Hepplewhite very nervous； and nothing that had happened since had served to calm him down。
The lieutenant and the captain were different in almost every respect…the lieutenant young； slender； hesitant； quiet and a reader； the captain fiftyish； heavyset； bullheaded； loud and illiterate…but they did have one trait they shared in mon： Neither of them liked trouble。 It was the one area in which they even used the same language： 〃I want things quiet； men；〃 the captain would tell his men at the morning shape…up； and at the night shape…up the lieutenant would say； 〃Let's keep things quiet； men； so I don't have to wake the captain。〃 They were both death on police corruption； because it might tend to endanger the quiet。
If they'd wanted noise； after all； New York City was right next door； and its police force was always looking for recruits。
But it was noise they had tonight； whether they liked it or not。 Captain Deemer turned away from the lieutenant； muttering； 〃It's just a goddam good thing I was home；〃 and went over to brood at the map of the Island on the side wall。
〃Sir？〃
〃Never mind； Lieutenant；〃 said the captain。
〃Yes； sir。〃
The phone rang。
〃Get that； Lieutenant。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
Hepplewhite spoke briefly into the phone…he stood beside the desk； not wanting to sit at it in the captain's presence… and then put the caller on hold and said； 〃Captain； the people from the bank are here。〃
〃Have 'em e in。〃 The captain kept brooding at the map； and his lips moved without sound。 〃Tighten the net；〃 he seemed to be saying。
The three men who entered the office looked like some sort of statistical sampling； a cross…section of America perhaps； the mind boggled at the attempt to see them as a group connected with one another。
The first in was portly； distinguished； with iron…gray hair and black suit and conservative narrow tie。 He carried a black attaché case； and fat cigar tips protruded from his breast pocket。 He looked to be about fifty…five； prosperous； and used to giving orders。
The second was stocky； short； wearing a tan sports jacket； dark…brown slacks and a bow tie。 He had crewcut sandy hair； horn…rimmed glasses； leather patches on the elbows of his jacket； and carried a brown briefcase。 He was about forty and looked thoughtful and petent in some specialty。
The third was very tall and very thin； with shoulder…length hair； deep sideburns and Western…sheriff mustache。 He was no more than twenty…five and wore a yellow pullover polo shirt； tie…dye blue jeans and white basketball sneakers。 He carried a gray cloth bag of the kind plumbers use； which clanked when he put it down on a chair。 He grinned all the time and did a lot of bobbing in place； as though listening to music。
The portly man looked around with a tentative smile。 〃Captain Deemer？〃
The captain remained by the map but looked over with brooding eyes and said； 〃That's me。〃
〃I am George Gelding； of C and L〃
The captain gave an irritated frown。 〃Seeing…eye？〃
〃Capitalists' and Immigrants' Trust；〃 said Gelding。 〃The bank you lost。〃
The captain grunted； as though he'd been hit in the chest with an arrow； and lowered his head like a bull deciding to get mad。
Gelding gestured to the man with the bow tie and leather elbow patches。 〃This is Mr。 Albert Docent；〃 he said； 〃of the pany which provided the safe employed in that particular branch of our bank。〃
Deemer and Docent nodded at each other； the captain sourly； the safe man with a thoughtful smile。
〃And this；〃 Gelding said； gesturing to the young man with the hair； 〃is Mr。 Gary Wallah； of Roamerica Corporation； the pany which provided the trailer in which the bank has recently been housed。〃
〃Mobile home；〃 Wallah said。 He grinned and nodded and bounced。
〃Mobile； at any rate；〃 Gelding said and turned back to the captain； saying； 〃We are here to offer you whatever information and expertise may be of help to you。〃
〃Thank you。〃
〃And to ask if there have been any further developments。〃
〃We have them bottled up；〃 the captain said grimly。
〃Have you really？〃 said Gelding； smiling broadly and taking a step forward； 〃Where？〃
〃Here；〃 the captain said and thumped the map with the back of one meaty hand。 〃It's only a question of time。〃
〃You mean you still don't know exactly where they are。〃
〃They're on the Island。〃
〃But you don't know where。〃
〃It's only a question of time！〃
〃It is approximately one hundred miles；〃 Gelding said； with no attempt to soften his tone； 〃from the New York City line across Long Island to Montauk Point。 In spots； the island is twenty miles wide。 In land area； it is larger than Rhode Island。 This is the area in which you have them bottled up？〃
In moments of stress； the captain's left eye tended to close； and then open again； and then slowly close again； then pop open once more； and so on。 It made him look as though he were winking； and in his youth he had inadvertently picked up more than one young lady that way； in fact； it still did pretty well for him。
But there were no young ladies here now。 〃The point；〃 the captain told the banker； 〃is that they can't get oft the Island。 It's a big place； but sooner or later we'll cover it。〃
〃What are you doing so far？〃
〃Until morning；〃 the captain said； 〃the only thing we can do is patrol the streets； hope to find them before they get the thing under cover。〃
〃It is almost three in the morning； well over an hour since the bank was stolen。 Surely they're under cover by now。〃
〃Maybe。 At first light； we spread out more。 Before we're done； we'll look inside every old barn； every abandoned factory； every empty building of any kind on the whole Island。 We'll check all dead…end roads； we'll look into every bit of woods。〃
〃You're talking； Captain； about an operation that will take a month。〃
〃No； Mr。 Gelding； I'm not。 By morning； we'll have the assistance of Boy Scout troops； volunteer fire departments and other local organizations all over the Island to help in the search。 We'll use the same groups and the same tech…
niques as when we're looking for a lost child。〃
〃The bank；〃 Gelding said frostily； 〃is somewhat larger than a lost child。〃
〃That can only help；〃 Captain Deemer said。 〃We'll also have assistance from the Civil Air Patrol in scanning from the skies。〃
〃Scanning from the skies？〃 The phrase seemed to take Gelding aback。
〃I say we have them bottled up；〃 Captain Deemer said； his voice rising and his left eyelid lowering； 〃and I say it's only a question of time till we tighten the net！〃 And he did that chicken…killing gesture again； making Lieutenant Hepple…
white in his unobserved corner wince once more。
〃All right；〃 Gelding said grudgingly。 〃Under the circumstances； I must admit you seem to be doing ev