"We'll be up in time for supper," said Mr. Golden, as they boarded the car.
On the way up, Mr. Golden gave the detective an account of Bob's disappearance, including the events which preceded it. As there were but few people on the car, they could talk in low tones with no danger of being overheard. The detective said but little, except to ask a question now and then, but when they were in the Sprite, on their way across the lake, he said:
"Mr. Golden, I want you to give me a careful description of those two men."
"I guess Jack can do that better than I, as I only saw them once, and then took no particular notice of them."
So Jack described them as well as he could, but the detective shook his head.
"Can't place 'em. Your description of Reed would fit a dozen men I know, and while the other one puts me in mind of a fellow I once arrested for counterfeiting, I'm not sure. You didn't notice a scar on his upper lip, did you?"
"No, I thought I told you that he had a mustache."
"So you did, so you did," said the detective, "I must be getting forgetful."
Supper was ready by the time they arrived at the cottage, and as soon as it was over, the detective asked to be shown the way to the spring, and once there, he made a thorough search of the immediate vicinity, but after nearly an hour had passed, he was forced to acknowledge that he had found no clue. As soon as they got back to the house, he called Boston on the telephone.
"Hello, Bill? Yes. I want you to find out as quickly as possible the whereabouts of Jim Edwards. Yes, that's the fellow. Call me as soon as you get any news." He gave the number of the phone and then hung up.
Early in the morning the phone rang, and Sharp was asked for. After a short conversation, he hung up the receiver, saying to Mr. Golden and Jack, who were in the room, "Nothing has been heard of that fellow Edwards since he got out of prison, nearly a year ago. Now, Jack, if you'll run me across in your boat, I'll go down to the village, and don't be surprised if you don't see me for a day or two."
"This is a mighty fine boat you have," remarked Sharp, as they were skimming across the lake in the Sprite. "Is this the new cell?"
"Yes," replied Jack, and then added bitterly, "I wish we'd never made the old thing, then Bob wouldn't have been kidnapped."