“I am really alarmed about the disappearance of Mr. Nestor,” Gilroy said, as the boys began frying ham and eggs and making fresh coffee for him. “There is no doubt at all in my mind that he was induced to leave the camp by the agents of the hostile corporation.”
“No doubt about that,” Jimmie put in.
“And that means,” Gilroy went on, “that they really suspect what you are here for. That is the worst part of it.”
“But why should they suspect us?” demanded Jimmie. “We never knew a thing about the complications until you came in here half an hour ago!”
“I’ll tell you why they’re suspicious of us,” Jack exclaimed. “They know that I am the son of the lawyer who is putting up the fight against them. Now you see how the case stands! We’ve been given a mission to execute on the theory that we could work without being suspected, when, as a matter of fact, we were suspected before we were given the work to do.”
“That’s funny!” Jimmie laughed.
“It might be humorous if it wasn’t so serious,” the confidential clerk explained, pompously, “and I’m going to give you boys a little advice, which may not meet with the approval of Jack’s father.”
“Go to it!” laughed Jack.
“This hostile corporation,” Gilroy continued, “will, in my opinion, stop at nothing in order to accomplish their ends. Now that the unexpected has happened—now that their agents suspect that you are here to watch and, if possible, frustrate their designs—my advice is that you get out of the country as quickly as possible.”
“And leave Ned here?” demanded Jimmie scornfully.