"I wouldn't wonder but what you're right!" exclaimed Jim Hedson, slapping his big pain down on his broad leg. "Now I think of it, I didn't like the looks of that man. He wouldn't look you square in the eye, but kept shifting around. I'm just as glad I didn't hire him my Spray, and I'm sorry I took you fellows up so short. I'll keep a lookout for that man, and if I see or hear anything of him I'll let you know. You're cottaging over Harbor View way; aren't you? I think I've seen you there."
"Yes, we're the Racer boys," replied Frank, "and we'll be obliged to you if you can put us on the track of this man. It isn't so much for our sake, as that we want to find out who Paul Gale is."
"Paul Gale!" exclaimed Mr. Hedson "That's a good name for the lad found as he was. Well, I'll do my best."
"Where to now?" asked Andy, as he followed his brother up the street.
"To the fertilizer factory. I think we can make a deal with them about our whale better by talking than over the telephone."
"We ought to have some of Chet Sedley's fifteen cent perfume if we're going up there," said Andy. "It smells worse than ten skunks on a wet night."
"Oh, well, I guess we can stand it a little while."
The fertilizer factory, where fish, chiefly menhadden, were ground up and treated, before being spread on farms and gardens to enrich them, was not a very delightful place. The boys soon located the manager, who had heard about their whale, and he made them a good offer for it, agreeing to take the carcass away promptly.
Paul improved but slowly, and, as far as his mind was concerned, there was no change. The past was an entire blank to him, and Dr. Martin, as the days passed, shook his head in doubt.
"I'm afraid it's going to take a long time," he said.