s Mr.

before. Paul commented, "It's really a pity. What we have to do is to catch him in th

e done for hi

e would be put into an asylum. T

unoccupied. But strangely, the front door was open. They entered and searched about. All the rooms were empty and dusty. In the hall again Paul

calmly off. "No clues her

he next moment dismissed them from his mind. "What seems to bother me

8

ed," said Jack. "My opinion is t

py accident,"

, ra

head doubtfully. "Yet somehow I can't quite belie

decided upon his opinion. Jack thought out loud. "I

he boys stopped and Jack nodded. "Then," continued Ken, "let's go down t

well idea,"

too," added Jac

ey arrived at their destination, they stopped to decide upon thei

and make a purchase, then ask ab

. They may[83] have noticed me aroun

ffered Ken. "But

dark man living somewhere in th

what I want him fo

you were told that he was a plumber, or somethin

in. Where are you

u come out, just keep walking strai

here

certain it was the right place. He entered. He noticed that a middle-aged woman was alone in t

ng for a tall, dark man. I was told that

swered, speaking softly. "What is

8

a carpenter and loo

. He is not a carpenter.

ess not.

uite al

briskly till he came upon the boys. They fe

s Mr. Grey,

t el

woman did not t

nough," cried Jack. "What do

Ken defended himself. "She would be

st we have his name, that's something. Did

from the way she spoke

ion anything, el

N

Paul snapped his fingers. "You know what?" he c

we get one?"

8

ne home,"

help them any. There were three Greys. One was a pharmacist, the second was a butcher and

t he has only recently move

he reason he is so little known must be

that help us a

to keep it in min

again?" asked Jack, "and just look around. Perh

with me," was

ain some information. They walked back and forth several times, but their searches were futile. One of them suggested that they quit and go home and the others assented. Passing on t

what ab

d Ken. "She is the woman I spok

g, someone else must be in the store. I am go

ng in. You may have been noticed around here before and it would look suspicious. Bot

at the counter and Paul pretended to be looking around. The customer left and the man, evidently the proprietor,

counter. The man picked up the coin and rang it up on the register. "Excuse me,

hard, and unsympathetic individual. He must be careful of every word, he told himself. The man drawled, "Now let me think." He scratc

self. It was the same story that Ken had used and if his wife told him that some boy was in looking for a carpenter, the man was sur

ive?" the groce

corner. The

er seeing you around

and he had to get himself out of it. "We

oving in or out of the neighborhood within the past two weeks." He paused and eyed Paul who felt

om the counter. "T

ome in here sometime and do her shopping. I

wil

how difficult it is to obtain information from people. Joining his

laimed. "He got more out of

nd out anything?" Jack

beat around the bush and finally confessed that

ining enough information," Ken joked. "

. "Now what?" asked Jack

hey walked along silently. They came to the street on which Jack[89] lived a

d putter around with my dad's car

speak to your father, Paul. He is a doctor and knows a l

can do that. But I don't think he ha

ght go over and see Chief of Police Bates. He k

f Bates. He might ask us a lot of questions, worm the st

st try your fath

t. We wil

Walter Grey the butcher and W. J. Grey the lawyer. Those were all the Greys