"Bolt's gone home," he announced. "Mrs. Bolt and Jean must be suffering agonies of curiosity. I stayed here because I felt I might be able to help you."
"Stout fellow," said Creighton with a grin, and selected a huge sandwich. "Where do you think we'd better begin?"
"There's no use adopting that superior attitude with me. You know perfectly well I come in handy at times. Say—I'm sore at Bolt! He did you out of a good job."
"Me? How come?"
"Did you notice three solid-looking citizens in the hall when you arrived? Well, that was the Board of Selectmen of Hambleton, yes, sirree, b'gosh. Bolt had told 'em you were coming and they were all het up. They don't get along with the county crowd too well, and for that reason they'd about decided to retain your services just to show they were ready to hold up their end. Then Bolt came along and blurted out that he had commissioned you to investigate the matter and they pulled their horns in like a bunch of frightened snails. If he had only kept still you could have made a deal with them."
"I see. And what makes you think I'd be guilty of the indelicacy of letting two outfits pay me for the same job?"
"'Thnot 'n 'ndelicathy," said Mr. Krech vigorously through a sandwich. "If Bolt can have a second string to his bow, why can't you have a couple of employers?"
"Krech, you're a nice fellow with all the instincts of a crook."
"Huh. I suppose nothing could ever lead you from the narrow path of rectitude?"
"No," laughed Creighton, "nothing ever could!"