To confide in him now would mean to invite no end of ridicule or good natured raillery, for Uncle John had not a grain of imagination or romance in his nature and would be unable to comprehend the delights of this secret investigation.
Because he was in the dark the significant looks and unnatural gravity of his nieces in the succeeding days puzzled the poor man greatly.
"What's wrong, girls ?" he would ask.

"Aren't you happy here?
Do you miss anything you'd like?
Is it too quiet and dull at Millville to suit you ?" "Oh, no!" they would exclaim.

"We are having a splendid time, and would not leave the farm for anything." And he often noticed them grouped in isolated places and conversing in low, eager tones that proved "something was up." He felt somewhat grieved that he was not their confidant, since these girls and their loyal affection for him constituted the chief joy of his life.

When he put on his regulation fishing costume and carried his expensive rod and reel, his landing net and creel to the brook for a day's sport, he could no longer induce one of his girls to accompany him.

Even Patsy pleaded laughingly that she had certain "fish to fry" that were not to be found in the brook.
Soon the three nieces made their proposed visit to McNutt, their idea being to pump that individual until he was dry of any information he might possess concerning the Wegg mystery.