"Yes, sir; that's very kind of you, Mr. Pender," said the lad, smiling.
"Oh! I don't know. I have an axe to grind in doing so; for I believe that you can be of assistance to me. The two men in that motor car are criminals, for whose capture I have come to this part of the country, Paul."
"Goodness! that sounds interesting, sir. What have they been doing?" asked the young scout leader, with boyish curiosity brimming over.
"I won't tell you that, Paul; but they are wanted by the Government. And sometimes we agents have to go about our business with great caution, in order to discover enough evidence on the suspects to convict. So, above all things, I do not wish to alarm these clever gentlemen unduly, lest they manage to hide, or get rid of the only burden of proof. In other words, as a common expression has it, I want to get them with the goods on. You understand?"
"Yes, sir; I think I do. And if I see or hear anything about that red car, I'll tell you. But is it true that you and Jack's father were chums long ago?"
"That's the positive truth, my boy," replied the agent, nodding; "why, we took several voyages together, and had lots of queer adventures. I never dreamed that my wild old friend Alan would settle down to this humdrum life, as a lumber merchant, and the head of a family. But I suppose it all came of his meeting a girl. And after knowing his fine wife I don't blame him a bit; though I've kept right along in the same old groove, and see more or less of adventure."
"He's a mighty fine man, and they think lots of him here," declared Paul, who was amazed to learn that his chum's parent could have, once upon a time, been reckoned a wild blade.
Paul walked on with his lips puckered up as if whistling, and his face filled with the new interest that had taken possession of him.
He had read accounts in the papers of Boy Scouts being concerned in many useful enterprises; and he wondered whether he and his patrol might not find a chance to assist the officers of justice in rounding up a couple of rogues who had apparently broken the laws of the land.
Then other things came up to draw his attention elsewhere.