“I’ll make you a sporting proposition,” Joe called. “If I say I’m ready, will you leave?”
“All right,” Mr. Cook agreed after a pause. “But don’t push yourself too hard.”
“Don’t worry,” Joe said, grinning. “And say,” he shouted as Mr. Cook was closing the door, “better get to bed early tonight. I plan to be up at five-thirty.”
Mr. Cook nodded and pulled the door shut. The four of them trooped back out onto the porch. “Well?” demanded Mr. Cook as he looked at each of them in turn. “What do you think?”
“I don’t know,” Sandy muttered. “It sounds all right, but....”
“Exactly,” Mr. Cook agreed. “His story has too many holes as far as I’m concerned.”
“But why should he lie?” Mike objected. “If he’s in trouble, why doesn’t he tell us? Maybe we could help.”
“What struck you as the fishiest part of his story?” Mr. Cook asked Sandy.
“The accident on the dock” came the prompt reply.
“It could have happened just that way,” Mr. Henderson volunteered. “There’s more’n a couple of rotten boards on that dock. He could’ve caught himself easy and pitched over.”