“If you do I’ll know it’s not your fault,” Mr. Stokes assured them. “But I’m betting you won’t. And now I’ll not keep you any longer, only I want you to know that my mind’s at rest now that you’ve taken the job.”
“What do you think of it?”
They had accompanied Mr. Stokes as far as the gate and were walking slowly back to the building. It was Jack who asked the question.
“That’s a hard question,” Bob replied slowly. “You see we haven’t much of anything to come and go on so far. It may be a simple thing and then again it may not.”
“And I’m rather inclined toward the latter view,” Jack declared decisively.
“Why?”
“How did Mr. Stokes strike you?” Jack asked instead of answering Bob’s question.
“Like a pretty keen business man.”
“Well, that’s the answer. He impressed me about the same way and I figure that if he couldn’t find out who’s cutting up those monkey shines, it’s not going to be a very simple problem.”
“Your reasoning’s good all right: no doubt about that,” Bob assured him. “I reckon we’ll have our work cut for us fast enough. But, tell me, do you think it’s that fellow, Jacques?”