“But that doesn’t seem quite fair, it ought to be talked over openly. Why pick me out above every one else for that?”
“Because you’ve always been a leader among your schoolmates, Tom, that’s why!” he was quickly, told. “You’ve got it in you to take the lead in every kind of sport known to boys. Baseball, football, hockey, athletics—tell me a single thing where you’ve had to play second fiddle to any other fellow. And it isn’t because you want to push yourself either, but because you can go ahead.”
“Well,” said Tom, slowly and musingly, “it’s mighty nice to know that the other boys like you, and if the fellows are bound to make me take the office of patrol leader I suppose I’ll have to accept it.”
“No one so well able to do the work as you are, Tom. But this has been a terribly long three weeks to me, I tell you.”
“Now you’re thinking that we haven’t made a bit of progress about finding that stolen paper,” suggested Tom, looking a little crest-fallen. “Both of us have tried from time to time to watch Dock after nights, but somehow we haven’t had much success up to now.”
“No,” added Carl, with one of his heavy sighs, “if he has that paper hidden somewhere he’s smart enough to keep away from his cache, so far as we’ve been able to find out.”
“I don’t believe he’s come to any settlement with Amasa Culpepper as yet,” Tom observed, with considerable positiveness.
“We think that, but we don’t know for sure,” ventured the less confident Carl. “If only I could glimpse the paper I’d have a big load lifted from my mind. And it cuts me to the quick to see poor mother trying to look cheerful when I come indoors, though I’ve noticed signs of tears on her cheeks several times.”
“I’ve been thinking of some sort of scheme,” began Tom, slowly.
“Good for you!” burst out Carl, delightedly. “Tell me what it is then; and can we start in to try it right away?”