“No,” replied the woman. “There has been no one at home since Mrs. Kenfield went away. I understand she is going to stay in Chicago for some time. Her niece is quite ill.”
“Well, this is queer,” remarked Bart. “I wonder what we had better do.”
“If you want to leave a message with me I’ll give it to Mrs. Kenfield when she returns,” the neighbor went on.
“We’re much obliged to you,” said Bart, “but I’m afraid that would do little good. Mrs. Kenfield does not know us. Ned is her nephew and when she invited him to stay with her she said he could ask his chums to spend part of the time with him. Well, we’re his chums, but where is Ned?”
“I’m sure he didn’t come back here,” the woman continued. “I have been watching the house pretty constantly ever since Mrs. Kenfield went away, as she asked me to notify any tradesmen, who might call, that she was gone, but that they could send their bills to the house by mail and they would be forwarded to her. I can, however, give you her Chicago address.”
“I don’t know as that would be of any use, though we’re much obliged to you,” said Fenn.
“Yes, it would!” exclaimed Bart. “We can wire her and ask where Ned went. She’ll probably know.”
“Has she got to Chicago yet?” asked Frank.
“It’s about twenty-four hours since she started,” replied Bart. “Even a comparatively slow train would make it in that time. If you’ll give us Mrs. Kenfield’s address,” he went on, “we’ll wire her.”
The neighbor gave the boys the desired information and, since there was nothing more they could do at the closed house, save stare at the tight shutters, they started for the nearest telegraph office.