“It’s a letter from Fatty Hendry. He’s been staying at a place named Ellenvale, which, as you know, is about thirty miles north of Haven Point. He says that Snopper Duke came from that place, and has an aged father living there.”
“Has Duke been taking care of his father?” questioned Jack.
“Yes. And his father has been very sick and has had to have several operations. It seems the operations cost a lot of money, and Duke wanted two of his younger brothers to help pay for them. But they wouldn’t contribute a cent.”
“Gee, that was certainly rough!” declared Randy. “No wonder the professor was grouchy at times.”
“That isn’t all of it,” went on Gif. “Fatty got interested and made a little investigation, and he found out that there was another brother, a little older than the professor, who had gotten into difficulties with the firm he was working for. That firm was on the point of having him arrested, so Fatty heard, but at the last minute Professor Duke came forward and settled up for him, so he wasn’t prosecuted.
“But Fatty adds in his letter that he heard this not only took every cent the professor had, but it also placed him in debt to Colonel Colby and some of his friends.”
“Well, that’s what I call hard lines!” declared Jack emphatically. “The poor professor must have been worried half to death.”
“Does Fatty say anything further about Duke’s father?”
“Yes. Since the last operation the old gentleman is feeling quite like himself again.”
“And what became of the brother who got into trouble?” asked Spouter.