Page:Jean Webster--Much ado about Peter.djvu/161

Rh "Let's form a detective bureau!" Bobby rose to the occasion. "You can be chief of the local police, Peter. And since you find the mystery beyond your power to solve, you have called to your aid a private detective force—that's us. Jerome and Wallace and me can be detectives, and Augustus can be a policeman."

"I want to be a detective, too," objected Augustus.

"It's nice to be a policeman," soothed Bobby. "When we 've tracked down the thief, we 'll call to you and say, 'Officer, handcuff this man!' and you 'll snap 'em on his wrist and lead him to jail."

"All right!" agreed Augustus. "Give 'em to me."

"Later, when we 're on his track," said Bobby. "Now, Peter, you ought to plan a campaign. 'Course, you are n't expected to find out anything, the local police never do; but nominally we 're under your orders, so you must tell us to shadow some one."