Harry said, “So this is the judge’s house, hey? Nice house—windows
n’everything. Well, Constable, I hope you’ll get that five hundred
reward. Funny thing about the Boy Scouts, they don’t care anything for
money. Can’t seem to drum the idea out of their heads. But when it comes
to foiling burglars and all that sort of thing, why that’s their
favorite outdoor sport. And stolen property, they just eat it alive! Let
me see if I can’t root out some truck from under that seat; sorry to
disturb you.”
We all climbed out and the constable said, “They ought ter hev sech
crazy notions drummed out uv their heads. _Hello_! What’s that?”
Harry said, “This? Oh, it’s just a punch bowl; hold it a second, will
you Roy? Don’t drop it. Here, Grove, take this jewelry box; look out for
it, it’s got a pearl necklace inside. Take these silver spoons, too. The
sun’s getting hot, Constable; it’s going to be warm this afternoon.
Here, somebody take this silver teapot. Cup of tea wouldn’t go half bad
now, would it?”
Jimin-_etty_! You should have seen that constable—you just ought to have
seen him. He just stood there gaping, while Harry handed the things out.
“So you see you were on top after all; hey Constable?” he said. “And a
man may sit down on something and never know it. Let Pee-wee take those
things—he’s the doctor. The rest of us will follow. Come along up,
Constable, we’re going to make Mrs. West give us each a cup of iced tea
for a reward.”
Honest, I couldn’t tell you which was funnier to look at, Pee-wee or
that constable. Harry didn’t smile at all. There stood the kid, holding
the big silver punch bowl in his two arms, and the silver teapot and the
spoons and things, and the plush jewelry box piled inside it. I never
saw him look so small as he did with that big load.
[Illustration: I NEVER SAW HIM LOOK SO SMALL AS HE DID WITH THAT BIG
LOAD.]
And the constable—_g-o-o-d night!_ There he stood, gaping at Pee-wee,
while the rest of us began laughing, all except Harry. He acted just as
if nothing had happened at all. “Now, if there’s anything else missing
in town,” he said, “just let us know, and we’ll get it. Speak while
we’re here, because in about fifteen minutes we’re off for buried
treasure. You see we used to make a specialty of German spies, but now
there aren’t any; things are dull since the war. Any little job-lot of
mysteries you want unravelled? No? Oh, very well. We make a specialty of
murders and kidnappings and Bolsheviki plots; we like Bolsheviki plots
best of all. But we’re not proud. We’re always willing to take a little
burglary case to accommodate some one. All right, Pee-wee, forward
march—up the steps—and lookout you don’t slip! Won’t you join us,
Constable? The more the merrier.”