“I needn’t have asked that; I might have known it wouldn’t,” said Ned. “Well, the truth of it is that dad’s business is in bad shape.”
“Do you mean that he is going to fail?” asked Jerry.
“Well, it might amount to that, though we hope to stave it off. I’ve been helping him on his books lately, that’s what makes me so tired. I’ve been up late for several nights. The business is in fairly good shape, and can be made better if we could do certain things.”
“What are they?” asked Bob.
“It’s too complicated to go much into detail over,” explained Ned, “but, in brief, it’s this: Certain opposition to dad’s department-store business is being organized by a powerful syndicate. Now, if dad could get the help and co-operation of a certain man, everything would be all right.”
“Who is the man?” asked Jerry.
“His name is Mr. Wescott Jackson. He once was in great trouble, and my father aided him. Dad knows that if he could get into communication with this man he would be only too glad to help him, lend him his influence, and all that, and then the business wouldn’t suffer.”
“Well, why doesn’t he ask aid of this Mr. Jackson, then, Ned?” inquired Jerry.
“He’d be only too glad to, but he can’t locate him. And, another thing, dad’s enemies are interested in keeping Mr. Jackson away from father. That is, they don’t want dad to get word to him of his trouble. So that complicates matters. If I could only talk to Mr. Jackson, and get his signature to certain documents, everything would be all right.”
“Well, why can’t you?” asked Bob.