"What did you tell him?"
"Nothing at all. I suspected something, and I said the best way for him to find out would be to go and see your father. Wasn't that right?"
"Sure. Dad doesn't want his business known any more than he can help. What do you suppose they wanted?"
"Well, the man talked as though he and his partners would like to buy your father's shops."
"I don't believe he'd sell. He has them arranged just for his own use in making patents, and I'm sure he would not dispose of them."
"Well, that's what I thought, but I didn't tell the man so. I judged it would be best for him to find out for himself."
"What was the man's name?"
"He didn't tell me, and I didn't ask him."
"How did he look?"
"Well, he was well dressed, wore kid gloves and all that, and he had a little black mustache."
Tom started, and Mr. Merton noticed it.
"Do you know him?" he asked.
"No," replied Tom, "but I saw" Then he stopped. He recalled the man he had seen in the post-office. He answered this description, but it was too vague to be certain.
"Did you say you'd seen him?" asked Mr. Merton, regarding Tom curiously.
