Page:The House On The Cliff.pdf/116

110 "And what do you think has happened to him?"

"We don't know. That's what we want you to help find out. But, by the look of this cap, we're afraid there's been foul play."

"Just a minute, Smuff—just a minute." The chief contemplated the checkerboard for a few minutes, then made a move. He settled back in his chair. "Now try and beat that!" he said, and looked up at the boys again. "What do you want me to do?" he inquired,

"Help us find him."

The chief regarded them benevolently.

"Mebbe he'll show up in a day or so."

"He's been missing long enough already," protested Joe. "We want you to go up to the Polucca place and question those people. They know more about the affair than they care to tell."

"The Polucca place!" exclaimed the chief, pursing his lips. "We-ll, you see, it ain't in the city limits."

"But Fenton Hardy is a Bayport citizen."

"What d'you think about it, Smuff?"

"Just a minute—it's my move." Smuff meditated over the checkerboard for a while, made his move, then looked up judicially. "To tell you the truth, chief," he said, "I think we'd be just as well stayin' away from that Polucca place. There's been queer stories about it."