“We’re headed for the old Windmere Hotel,” he said, “and we’ve got to get there quick. For a stolen invention has been hid there, and a friend [[202]]of ours is liable to suffer if we delay a minute in recovering it. We can get there quicker in a motor-boat. And under the circumstances I’m going to ask you to let us borrow your small launch. We haven’t any money to pay you, but if things work out as I hope, you’ll get enough pay to buy a brand new launch and a rowboat or two thrown in. Can we take it?”
“Well, neow,” the old man waggled, “I’d say ‘no’ right off to most b’ys. But I hain’t afeered to trust you. I know you’ll be keerful. Besides, I hain’t furgot ’bout that bag of apples you brought me last fall.”
Full of gratitude for his kindness, we ran to the river pier. I untied the boat while Scoop turned on the gas and electricity. Having been out in the boat with its owner, we knew how to run it.
“Here we go!” cried Scoop, getting ready to press the control lever into “forward.”
I yelled to him to hold up.
“The deacon’s coming on the run. Maybe he wants to go along.”
But that wasn’t the case.
“The ten-ring puzzle,” the old man wheezed. “Have you found it, b’ys?”
We told him that we had. [[203]]
“I knowed it was the puzzle that the Bible markings had reference to. Miz Kelly said it was money that was hid. I said, ‘No, it hain’t money, it’s the ten-ring puzzle, which is jest as good as money, though. You kin sell it any day in the week,’ I told her, ‘fur a thousand dollars or better.’ ”