Mr. Hardy shrugged his shoulders.

“Go ahead. It means nothing to me. But if you take my advice you’ll stay away. You’ll just spoil everything. Jackley will talk when the time comes.”

“Oh, ho!” said Detective Smuff triumphantly. “Then there is something to it, hey?”

“I knew there was,” said Chief Collig. “Come on, Smuff. We’ll make this man Jackley talk yet. We’re officers of the law, we are, and I’d like to see any doctor keep us from doin’ our duty.”

He mopped his brow again, put on his hat, nodded to Fenton Hardy, and clumped out of the room. Detective Smuff, putting his notebook into his pocket, followed. The door closed behind them.

Mr. Hardy sat back with a gesture of despair.