“Slight assistance indeed,” burst out Ruth. “Why, Mr. Simmons, they were the only ones that did anything on that smuggling business. All the treasury man had to do was bring handcuffs and arrest the men after the boys had found out who was in the ring, and everything that had to do with the fur and diamond smuggling.”
“Oh, I don’t mean that you may not prove to be of valuable assistance,” Simmons hastened to say. “I merely thought that I would get a good line on what is what, and it wouldn’t do for us to be seen in company too much, for that would tip our hand to the ones who are stealing the mailed checks.”
This seemed good logic to the boys, and so it was agreed that the only time they should meet would be after nightfall and at Aunt Abbie’s home.
Simmons decided to go alone to the postoffice, and the boys, seeing there was nothing they could do for the present, determined to get some supplies and go to their old lean-to and put it in shape for habitation during their stay in that section.
They procured their groceries and wandered down the leafy forest lane to their old camping ground. They found the lean-to in excellent condition. All that needed to be done was to fix up stones for their campfire and cut new boughs for a “mattress” on which to lay their blankets.
“What do you think of this man Simmons?” asked Dick, as they set out for a little clump of balsams to get boughs.
“Don’t know just what to say offhand,” answered Garry. “I can say, however, that he seems to be a little peeved at our being here to help him out. Of course I realize that it is a cheeky thing for a pack of boys to be sent to help a man that knows his business, or is supposed to know it, but orders are orders.”
“Well, maybe it is cheeky; but without being stuck on ourselves, I don’t think the smuggler band would have been run down without our help; or to put it more modestly, without the help of someone more familiar with the ways of the woods than a city man from Washington. However, we’ll do just what he tells us to, and let it go at that,” said Phil, as he swung his hatchet and knicked off a few boughs.
“That isn’t my idea at all,” interrupted Dick. “We will in all probability not be asked to give any help at all if my impression of this man is correct. Therefore I move that we do a little work on our own hook and see what we can do ourselves. If we find any clue that is really promising, we can turn it over to Simmons. If he accepts it, all well and good; we will know that he appreciates the help. If he doesn’t, we can go on quietly ourselves and do what we can. If we are fortunate enough to get the right clue that will lead to the real culprit, we will offer it to him again. Then if he bars us and pays no attention to it, the best thing to do will be to communicate with the Chief Ranger at Augusta and get his advice as to what to do. How does that strike you fellows?”
“Sounds good to me,” said Garry, “but I think you chaps are building a mountain out of a mole hill. If we find something that means anything, it will give the inspector a good impression of us, and we will then be asked to give all the help we can. However, only a little time will tell what is going to happen, and the first thing to do is to find some real evidence that will help the case. Until we do that we can’t claim to be much good, and I wouldn’t blame the man for not wanting us to be bothering around.”