“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.

“I understand they’re going to search every house in Shopton, before they go away,” said the clerk to the boys.  “They are going to look for smuggled goods.”

“They are; eh?” exclaimed Colonel Henry Denterby, who had fought in the Civil War.  “Search my house; eh?  Well I guess not!  A man’s house is his castle, sir!  That’s what it is.  No one shall enter mine, no matter if he is a government official, unless I give him permission, sir!  And I won’t do that, sir!  I’ll be revolutionized if I do!  No, sir!”

“Why, you haven’t any smuggled goods concealed, have you, Colonel?” slyly asked a hotel lounger.

“Smuggled goods?  What do you mean, sir?” cried the veteran, who was something of a fire-eater.  “No, sir!  Of course not, sir!  I pay my taxes, sir; and all my debts.  But no government spy is going to come into my house, and upset everything, sir, looking for smuggled goods, sir.  No, sir!”

Some were of one opinion, and some another, and there was quite a discussion underway concerning the rights of the custom officers, as the boys came out of the hotel.

Likewise there was talk about who might be the guilty ones, but no names were mentioned, at least openly.

“Let’s go past the Foger house on our way back,” proposed Ned, and as he and Tom came in front of it, they heard a pounding going on within, but saw no signs of Andy or the carpenter.

“They’re keeping mighty close,” commented Tom.

The two boys worked that afternoon on the new airship, and in the evening, when Ned came over, Tom proposed that they make another attempt to see Mr. Whitford.

“I want to get this thing off my mind,” spoke the young inventor, and he and his chum started for the hotel.  Once more they passed the Foger house.  It was in darkness, but, as the two lads stood watching, they saw a flash of a light, as if it came through a crack in a shutter or a shade.