“You bet there is.” Both boys looked at him eagerly. “Our men and yours have been working for months trying to get something on a gang that has put it over every time. If we don’t make a killing soon, I can see where there will be a general shaking up in both forces and a lot of us will be sent to hoe hay.” The officer spoke seriously and the boys listened with keen interest.
“Tell you what, we didn’t think we’d find anything very exciting so far north, but I reckon we’ll ooze around here and see what we can pick up. Maybe we can help you. You’ll recognize Her Highness if you see her sailing through again, and if we want to communicate with you, we’ll circle around and drop you a message if we can’t land. How will you let us know if you receive it O.K.?”
“That’s fine of you, Jim, but this is a man-sized job. I appreciate your offer no end, old top, but your Aunt and Uncle, to say nothing of your mother and father would come down on me hard if I agreed to let you risk your necks—”
“The parents are sensible people, we picked them out for that very reason. They both told us to have a good time, and helping you looks to me like a good time—”
“Besides, what would we risk? All we could do is report to you if we see anything, and like as not what we see won’t be much help because we’re so green. But, if we did see anything real—because we are such a pair of nuts we might put something over for you. We elect ourselves, you’re in the minority, so, if you hear Her Highness, listen, stop, watch. Come on, Buddy, your aunt was making cherry pies when we left and if we don’t get a move on, some cadaverous tourist is likely to come along and eat every snitch of it. They are a greedy lot.”
“Isn’t your aunt the woman who raises such a flock of turkeys?” the sergeant asked.
“Sure, she used to. She has them on Isle La Motte, but last year they didn’t do so well, and she said last night that she isn’t having much luck this spring. It’s tough because there is money in turkeys if you can ever make them grow up,” Bob replied.
“I drove down there once and got a couple for my family. They were grand birds. Come on, Pat.”
“You haven’t told us yet how we will know that you get our message,” Jim reminded him.
“I’ll wave my hat, and if I want you to come down, I’ll keep it off my head, but you fellows watch your step and don’t go doing anything that will get us all into the cooler,” he warned.