“Yes, I had my last examination yesterday, and I should leave for the summer in a few days. Class Day is all that keeps me now, but I am perfectly willing to recall the invitations I have sent out, and can leave at any time.”
On his return to his rooms Quincy told Tom what had happened.
“I had been intending to speak about our going abroad anyway this summer,” said Quincy. “It's the style for college boys after being graduated to go to Europe. I want to see my mother and aunt, too. To be sure, I have had nice long, loving letters from them, and I've kept them fully posted as to my doings, but that doesn't quite come up to seeing them. Now, with this mystery on my hands, with all it may mean to me, I must go anyway. Will you come along with me?”
“If dad don't mind, I'll go.”
“We'll run down to Fernborough for a day or two to say good-bye, if there is time, and you can see your father about it.”
At ten o'clock the next morning, Quincy entered the office of the Isburn Detective Bureau.
“I have good news for you, Quincy,” said Mary. “I have found out from London that Macquay Hooker is a banker in Rome, and I have cabled him, asking who the other two endorsers are. We should receive a reply by noon at the latest.”
A good half hour before noon a messenger boy came in and handed Mary an envelope. She scanned the cablegram quickly, and handed it over to Quincy. It read, “Tombini banker, Drake American consul, Palermo, Sicily.”
“You see,” said Mary, with a smile, “matters are simplifying themselves considerably. I shall cable now to Drake at Palermo, and find out what I can about the original signer of the bill of exchange. This is Wednesday. The Gallia sails from here to England on Saturday. You had better engage passage, and make arrangements to go then. Come back late this afternoon, and I will tell you what has developed in the meantime.”
After engaging a stateroom for Saturday, Quincy returned to Cambridge, packed what things he needed for a couple of days, and with Tom came back to Boston, intending to go to Fernborough on the late train in the evening.