CHAPTER XVI—WE ASTONISH MR. HOLMES
Harry said, “So this is the judge’s house, hey? Nice house—windows n’everything. Well, Constable, I hope you’ll get that five hundred reward. Funny thing about the Boy Scouts, they don’t care anything for money. Can’t seem to drum the idea out of their heads. But when it comes to foiling burglars and all that sort of thing, why that’s their favorite outdoor sport. And stolen property, they just eat it alive! Let me see if I can’t root out some truck from under that seat; sorry to disturb you.”
We all climbed out and the constable said, “They ought ter hev sech crazy notions drummed out uv their heads. Hello! What’s that?”
Harry said, “This? Oh, it’s just a punch bowl; hold it a second, will you Roy? Don’t drop it. Here, Grove, take this jewelry box; look out for it, it’s got a pearl necklace inside. Take these silver spoons, too. The sun’s getting hot, Constable; it’s going to be warm this afternoon. Here, somebody take this silver teapot. Cup of tea wouldn’t go half bad now, would it?”
Jimin-etty! You should have seen that constable—you just ought to have seen him. He just stood there gaping, while Harry handed the things out. “So you see you were on top after all; hey Constable?” he said. “And a man may sit down on something and never know it. Let Pee-wee take those things—he’s the doctor. The rest of us will follow. Come along up, Constable, we’re going to make Mrs. West give us each a cup of iced tea for a reward.”
Honest, I couldn’t tell you which was funnier to look at, Pee-wee or that constable. Harry didn’t smile at all. There stood the kid, holding the big silver punch bowl in his two arms, and the silver teapot and the spoons and things, and the plush jewelry box piled inside it. I never saw him look so small as he did with that big load.
I NEVER SAW HIM LOOK SO SMALL AS HE DID WITH THAT BIG LOAD.
And the constable—g-o-o-d night! There he stood, gaping at Pee-wee, while the rest of us began laughing, all except Harry. He acted just as if nothing had happened at all. “Now, if there’s anything else missing in town,” he said, “just let us know, and we’ll get it. Speak while we’re here, because in about fifteen minutes we’re off for buried treasure. You see we used to make a specialty of German spies, but now there aren’t any; things are dull since the war. Any little job-lot of mysteries you want unravelled? No? Oh, very well. We make a specialty of murders and kidnappings and Bolsheviki plots; we like Bolsheviki plots best of all. But we’re not proud. We’re always willing to take a little burglary case to accommodate some one. All right, Pee-wee, forward march—up the steps—and lookout you don’t slip! Won’t you join us, Constable? The more the merrier.”