“You aren’t staying in Chicago very long, I take it,” went on Joe Brooks.
“We’ll leave to-morrow morning,” answered Randy.
Thereupon Joe Brooks started to tell them a somewhat lengthy story of what had brought him to Chicago. He said that he was traveling for a crockery house and hoped to catch one of his customers that afternoon.
“It’s a rich concern and I’m hoping to land a big order, but I’ve got to wait till five o’clock before I can see my man,” he went on. “So I’ve got quite a little time on my hands. What are you fellows doing? I might go along if you don’t mind,” and he smiled genially.
“We’re not doing much of anything,” answered Jack politely.
“Want me to show you around a little? I’ll be glad to do it. I’d do almost anything for friends of Fatty Hendry. He and his relatives have always treated me fine.”
Joe Brooks was a slick talker and before long he was walking with the four Rover boys, pointing out various places of interest and also pointing out different people as they passed either on foot or in automobiles.
“There’s the mayor of this burg,” he declared as an auto flashed past. “Great fellow he is, too. I had the pleasure of meeting him once when I was here at a trade dinner. And that man walking on the other side of the street over there is at the head of the schools here. A great man. I understand he has made a small fortune out of spelling books.”
“Is that so?” answered Andy. “Well, I don’t think I’ll ever make a fortune out of spelling books,” and he grinned.
In the most casual manner possible Joe Brooks drew the boys out until he got many of the particulars from them concerning their proposed trip to Gold Hill Falls and Sunset Trail. Now that they were so far on their trip, they did not consider it necessary to be as secretive about it as before. Never for one minute did they suspect that this young man knew Carson Davenport or had anything to do with that scoundrel.