“What?” came in a chorus from the others.
“I think that whole crowd is up to no good. Both of those men look like Germans, and each of them talked with a strong German accent, even though they are both evidently very well educated.”
“What did they say?” demanded Jack; and when told, he looked grave.
“There may be something in this,” he said slowly. “Suppose we go up to the fifth floor and try to find out a little more.”
“We might get caught,” said Fred.
“I don’t see how,” went on the oldest Rover boy. “Martell doesn’t occupy the whole floor. He has the front offices only. There are several other firms in the rear. We might be calling on them, you know,” and he winked.
The boys talked the matter over for a minute or so, and then, as an elevator came down, they entered and got out at the fifth floor. The little corridor here was empty, for which they were thankful.
“Of course there may not be a thing in this,” announced Jack. “It may be some ordinary business deal which is perfectly legitimate.”
“Not by the way those two German-looking fellows talked,” said Andy. “I didn’t like their looks at all. Unless I miss my guess, they are a slick pair.”
The two strangers had looked to be about forty years of age. Each was tall and rather stout, with a clean-shaven, florid face and close-cut, sandy hair. Their eyes had had a shifty snake-like look, and this it was, as much as anything, which set Andy against them.