“Suppose we four hide in an adjoining room while you talk to this man,” suggested Bob Holton. “Then we can hear what’s being said.”
“You’re fairly sure the caller is the man we were talking about?” asked Mr. Lewis, hesitating a moment before following Bob’s move.
“No, not sure,” Mr. Jordan responded. “But he is a collector of wild animals. And that seems suspicious enough, doesn’t it?
“Tell you what,” he continued. “Suppose you four do as suggested—hide in this room and listen in on us. If it happens that the man is someone else, no harm will have been done.”
The naturalists and their sons needed no urging. They hurried into the next room and hid near the entrance. There was a curtain separating them from the reception room, and all crouched near to peep through.
Their hearts were in their mouths when a minute later a stranger was admitted.
“Doesn’t look much like a crook,” whispered Joe, as he noticed that the man was dressed handsomely.
“Look at his eyes, though,” returned Bob, also keeping his voice very low.
The four listeners strained every nerve to catch what was being said in the next room. They were delighted beyond expression when they found that they could make out every word of the conversation.
“I was here a good while ago,” the stranger was saying. “No doubt you remember me. You told me to let you know as soon as I found some rare specimens from Africa.”