“Not exactly, though I have an interest in her,” the chief went on. “You see the Police Commissioners a few meetings ago decided to purchase a motor boat. We have quite a river frontage in Cresville, and lately there have been a number of robberies of boats and places along the stream. So it was voted to get a swift craft in which some of our officers could patrol the river. This is the boat, and Commissioner Jones, here, and I, were out giving her a trial spin. We only got her yesterday.”
“She certainly is well named,” put in Jerry.
“Well, we hope she’ll prove a ‘terror’ by nature as well as by name,” the chief went on. “She certainly is speedy enough.”
By this time Commissioner Jones had thrown a rope to the motor boys. It was made fast to a cleat on the Dartaway, and then, the Terror being speeded up, the disabled craft was quickly towed down the river. Casting off the line at the Dartaway’s dock the Terror shot on down the river, the chief and commissioner calling back farewells.
“I want you to do us a favor, Andy,” said Jerry as the lads were about to separate.
“Sure—what is it? Anything—half my kingdom—always willing to oblige—name it!” exclaimed Andy.
“That’s the trouble, you’re too willing,” said Jerry with a smile. “What I want is something very simple—that is it would be from any one else. I don’t know how it will hit you.”
“What is it?” asked Andy.
“Just don’t say anything about what you heard this afternoon,” said Jerry. “That is, I mean, about Noddy and Bill Berry. I believe they are up to some game. If we lay low we may discover what it is. If he finds we are talking about everything connected with him, we may not get at anything.”