"Wonder why those young scalawags didn't come back to help me?" mused Uncle John, as he walked along toward the hotel. "I'll tell them what I think of them for running away and leaving me to do all the fighting."
Uncle John glanced at his watch.
"Great Scott!" he exclaimed. "Twelve o'clock! Why, it doesn't seem fifteen minutes since we went in that house. Guess Hal and Chester have returned to the hotel by this time. What shall I tell the women folks? They'll wonder what a man of my age is prowling about the streets of Rome for at this hour of the night."
He entered his hotel and made his way toward the elevator. It descended, and as he would have entered, he bumped squarely into Mrs. Paine and Mrs. Crawford.
"John," cried the latter, "where is Chester?"
"Where is Hal?" demanded Mrs. Paine anxiously.
"Why, they—aren't they—they'll be here in a few minutes," stuttered
Uncle John.
"Where are they?" demanded the two anxious mothers in a single voice.
"Now hold on here," said Uncle John, regaining his composure with an effort. "I'll explain. Hal and Chester are all right. They'll be here in a few minutes."
"And what on earth is the matter with you, John?" asked Mrs. Crawford in surprise.