“If I can do anything for you boys, let me know,” the woman said to them as they were leaving. “I am Mrs. Rowland. I have two boys of my own, and, if you need any further help in locating your chum, they will be glad to aid you.”
They thanked Mrs. Rowland, but for whose information they would have been more in the dark than they were, regarding Ned’s strange disappearance.
“I had no idea people were so neighborly in New York,” said Frank. “I read somewhere that in this city no one ever knew who lived next door to him.”
“Lucky we got some sort of a starting point,” said Bart. “Now to send the telegram.”
A few minutes later they found a place where scores of instruments were clicking away and forwarded this message, addressed to Mrs. Kenfield:
“Ned’s chums arrived to find house closed. No trace of Ned. Understand he went away with you. Can you tell us where he is now?”
They told the clerk they would call for the answer in about two hours, as they wanted to allow plenty of time for a reply.
“Meanwhile we’ll go and get dinner,” suggested Fenn.
“Let’s check our valises somewhere,” proposed Bart. “I’m tired lugging mine around.”
“Leave ’em at the station where our trunks are,” Frank put in. “We may have to start back home soon, and they’ll be handy for us there.”