“That’s the place,” answered Jerry. “She owns quite a strip there, and Noddy Nixon’s father owns lands on one side, and someone else on the other. Mother’s land is a sort of narrow tongue between two other parcels. She never thought it was worth anything, but the other day she received an offer for it, and at a price that made her open her eyes, though relatively it wasn’t so much.”
“Well, I don’t see any bad luck in that,” remarked Bob. “If she can get a good price for the land, why doesn’t she take it?”
“That’s just the point,” resumed Jerry. “Why should such a comparatively high price be offered for such seemingly worthless land? It’s that which has me guessing, fellows. I’m trying to find out what the underlying motive is, and that’s what made me so absent-minded of late. Now, I’ve told you!”
[CHAPTER III]
THE CLAY-DIGGERS
There was silence among the three chums for several moments, and then Ned remarked:
“Well, you sure have been absent-minded, Jerry, though maybe it was justified. But it doesn’t seem to be so very serious—except, of course, we’re sorry your mother has lost any money.”
“That’s right,” agreed Bob. “And now, if that’s all that’s on your mind, Jerry, let’s go and——”