“He’s all of that and then some,” the officer declared. “Best man I knew of for a job of this kind, but they’ve got us stumped so far.”
“And what do you think we can do?” Bob asked.
“Well, you see it’s like this. You boys know the country up that way and Lou and I figured that if you’d go up there and let on that you were on a fishing trip or camping or something of the kind that, being boys, no one would suspect you and that you might succeed where we have failed. You see if you could find out where they bring the stuff across we could probably nab them.”
“Well, I’m sure that we’ll be glad to help you if you think we can,” Bob declared after a moment’s pause. “That is, provided Father doesn’t object.”
“Good,” the officer said, and a relieved look came to his face. “I hope I’ll be able to persuade your father to let you make the try.”
Just then Mr. Golden himself came up the walk and Bob quickly introduced him to their visitor.
“I feel as though I had known you for a long time,” Mr. Golden smiled as he took the other’s hand. “These boys of mine have had so much to say about you.”
They resumed their seats and the officer lost no time in acquainting Mr. Golden with the object of his visit.
“I hardly know what to say,” he said as soon as he had finished. “These boys of mine are great when it comes to getting into adventures, though I must acknowledge that they always seem to land on their feet like a cat,” and he smiled as he glanced proudly at the two boys. “But I’m afraid this is pretty risky,” he continued. “Some of those men are pretty desperate characters.”
“You are right there, sir,” the officer acknowledged, “but I think that the fact that they are boys will protect them.”