boxes to ship the goods in, or constructing secret places in which
to hide them."

"I don't believe it, Tom. But I agree with you that there is
something queer going on in Shopton. The Fogers may, or may not, be
connected with it. What are you going to do?"

"I'm first going to have a talk with Mr. Whitford. Then I'm going to
see if I can't prove, or disprove, that the Fogers are concerned in
the matter. If they're not, then some one else in Shopton must be
guilty. But I'm interested, because I have been brought into this
thing in a way, and I want it sifted to the bottom."

"Then you're going to see Mr. Whitford?"

"I am, and I'm going to tell him what I think. Come on, we'll look
him up now."

"But your noiseless airship?"

"Oh, that's all right. It's nearly finished anyhow, I've just got a
little more work on the carburetor. That will keep. Come on, we'll
find the government agent."

But Mr. Whitford was not at the hotel where he and the other custom
inspectors had put up. They made no secret of their presence in
Shopton, and all sorts of rumors were flying about regarding them.
Mr. Whitford, the hotel clerk said, had gone out of town for the
day, and, as Ned and Tom did not feel like telling their suspicions
to any of the other agents, they started back home.