"I presume they are. But don't say I mentioned it, please," pleaded the bookseller.
No more was said, and having paid for the book Powell walked out, with Dick behind him.
"If those fellows are drinking it's a jolly shame," declared Dick, when they were out of hearing. "What do you think about it, Songbird?"
"Exactly as you do, Dick."
"Shall we hunt them up?"
"What good will it do? Lew Flapp won't listen to what you say, and I'm sure I don't want to play the spy and report him."
"But what if he is leading some innocent students astray? He has had half a dozen young chaps dangling at his heels lately."
"I know that." There was a pause. "We might look into some of the places as we pass them."
Very slowly they walked up and down the main street of Cedarville, a thing easy to do, since the stores extended only a distance of two blocks. Then they passed to a side street, upon which two new places had recently been built.
One of the new places was a butcher shop, and this was dark and deserted. Next to it was a new resort known as Mike Sherry's Palace, and this was well lit up and evidently in full blast.
