“Yes. Come in.” Frank led the way into the living room.
Smuff, although he considered himself a top-notch sleuth, stood in awe of Fenton Hardy. He cleared his throat nervously.
“Good afternoon, Oscar,” said Mr. Hardy pleasantly. “Won’t you sit down?”
Detective Smuff eased himself into an armchair, then glanced inquiringly at the two boys. At once Mr. Hardy said, “Unless your business is very private, I’d like to have my sons stay.”
“Well, I reckon that’ll be all right,” Smuff conceded. “I hear you’re working on this Applegate case.”
“Perhaps I am.”
“You’ve been out of town several days,” Smuff remarked cannily, “so I deduced you must be workin’ on it.”
“Very clever of you, Detective Smuff,” Mr. Hardy said, smiling at his visitor.
Smuff squirmed uneasily in his chair. “I’m workin’ on this case too-I’d like to get that thousand-dollar reward, but I’d share it with you. I was just wonderin’ if you’d found any clues.”
Mr. Hardy’s smile faded. He said, with annoyance, “If I went away, it is my own business. And if I’m working on the Tower robbery, that also is my business. You’ll have to find your own clues, Oscar.”