"Forget it!" Bess declared. "I'm staying home. Who wants to be eaten?"
"American crocodiles occasionally do attack animals and people," Mr. Drew admitted. "A croc can twist a large animal to pieces by seizing one part of it, then turning rapidly in the water."
George grimaced. "I think I agree with Bess!"
"Don't worry," Mr. Drew said. "You probably won't meet any wild crocs. What I'm talking about is a farm where they're bred in captivity. There's a mystery connected with the place that I hope you girls can solve."
"What kind of mystery?" George asked.
"I'll tell you in a minute." Mr. Drew looked at the shoe box, "I see you did the errand, George, Thank you very much. I thought you girls might want to study a rubber crocodile to get acquainted with its looks."
He rose and walked over to the table and removed the lid. George suggested that he lift the box and tap the bottom. He did, and once more the baby crocodile wiggled its tail and opened and closed its jaws.
"This is certainly a good imitation," Mr. Drew remarked. He sat down again and went on with his story. "Mr. Gonzales has stock in the crocodile farm, which is called Crocodile Ecology Company. He doesn't live or work there, however. He's a silent partner, so to speak.
"Recently he has become suspicious that the business arrangements on the island are not what they should be, and that his partners are up to something dishonest."
Nancy asked, "And this Mr. Gonzales has requested that we investigate Crocodile Island?"
"That's right," her father replied. "However, he doesn't want his partners to know it, so you girls are not to visit his home or his office, or even phone him. Roger Gonzales is afraid his partners are spying on him, and in some way may find out he's starting an investigation."
Mr. Drew told the girls they should pretend to be just tourists. "I'd even suggest that while you're there you act like silly young girls, so that the Crocodile Ecology people won't catch on. The last thing you want them to know is that you all have high detective IQ's,"