“I suppose you’re going to enter?” asked Jerry.
“Is it any of your business if I do?” inquired Noddy.
“None at all,” replied Jerry. “Only if you do decide to start in the races you might find this handy, in case you had to cut any wires, you know,” and he handed Noddy the knife with the initials N. N. that the boys had found the day their cycles were disabled in the field.
“What’s that?” asked Noddy, not seeing at first what it was that Jerry held toward him.
“It’s a knife that I think belongs to you,” said Jerry. “It has been used to cut wires with,” he went on, “and it may come in handy for that purpose again.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” Noddy responded, but a deep blush dyed his face and he looked very uncomfortable.
“Then you don’t care to claim this?” asked Jerry as he saw Noddy turn aside.
“It isn’t mine; why should I?” Noddy asked in turn, though the boys knew he was telling an untruth.
“Very well,” Jerry said, replacing the knife in his pocket as Noddy hurried from the room.
“He’s a cool one,” commented Ned.