"He didn't say anything about having a letter for you?"
"Not a yip. What's he developed such a sudden an' overwhelmin' interest in dad for? Why, he wouldn't even pass the time of day with dad, even if dad was willin'--which he wouldn't be, not havin' a very high opinion of Hawley anyhow. And yet, here's Dirk Hawley, walkin' 'way out here to bat up a few questions concernin' dad. But he wasn't intendin' to give me that letter, that's a cinch."
"I'm dashed if I think he was, either," mused Matt. "He made a sudden shift, after I got the letter into your hands, Chub."
"Take it from me," chimed in Penny, "Dirk Hawley's up to some underhand work. Mebby you two can figure it out, but I've got to be goin'. Hope old Perk'll get over his mad spell, Chub," he added, with a grin.
"Susie'll smooth him down, Ed," laughed Chub, "but I guess he won't buy that gasoline push-cart of yours for me, now."
"Was Welcome thinking of doing that?" put in Matt.
"That's what he had in his mind, but after that wild ride, and the way he felt when he got through with it, I guess that little Reddy McReady will have to pass up the motor-cycle."
"Well," said Penny, starting off, "a hundred takes 'er, Chub, if the reformed road-agent changes his mind."
When Penny got over the bridge, and had headed for the place where his motor-cycle had been left, Chub and Matt went on with their talk about Dirk Hawley and the letter.
"It's the biggest mystery I ever went up against," declared Chub.
"Maybe there's a way you can clear it up," said Matt.
"Why, by reading the letter," laughed Matt, "instead of standing there and bothering your head about it."
"Sure," returned Chub. "That's the one thing to do, and it's the one thing I hadn't thought of."
Just as he started to take the letter out of the envelope, a shrill voice reached the boys from along the road.
Chub and Matt shifted their gaze to the front of the house. Chub's sister Susie was standing by the gate and seemed to be considerably excited. As she called to her brother, she waved her hands frantically.
"Gee-whiskers!" exclaimed Chub, pushing the letter into his pocket. "What's to pay now?"
"Perhaps Welcome refuses to be smoothed down," suggested Matt.
"It's somethin' besides that," declared Chub.