“She would hardly know,” Frank went on. “Ned’s train for Darewell wouldn’t leave until four o’clock. The timetable shows that. According to what the woman who lives next door to Mrs. Kenfield told us, Ned’s aunt started away before noon. Her train must have left about that time, so Ned couldn’t have gotten away from New York, if he left at all, until after his aunt had started for Chicago. Consequently though she may have seen him leave the depot where she was, with the intention of going back to Darewell, that’s no proof that he really went back home.”
“That’s so,” admitted Bart, struck with the force of Frank’s reasoning. “But where then can he be?”
“That’s what we’ve got to find out,” said Fenn.
“How are we going to do it?” Bart inquired.
“I think Ned’s right here in New York,” Frank went on. “Now look at it. His aunt goes away unexpectedly and closes the house up. It would seem natural for Ned to go back home, but we find out he has not. He doesn’t know any one else in this part of the country, or he would have told us. Consequently he has not gone to any other city. Therefore he must be in New York.”
“But why would he stay here?” insisted Bart.
“Probably for the same reason we’re going to, in order to see the sights.”
“Then why didn’t he send some word home to let his father know?” Bart asked. “Mr. Wilding wouldn’t be starting for New York if he knew Ned was safe here. Ned hasn’t communicated with his father, that’s sure.”
“I forgot about that,” Frank admitted. “That makes it look different.”