"Yes?" remarked the man, looking smilingly from one girl to the other, thinking that they, too, were rather excited.
"And just because they found Mr. Mackay by the stolen plane, and because they located a gasoline agent who swears that he sold gas to a red-haired man for that same plane earlier in the day, they're sure Mr. Mackay is a thief."
"And they're going to his home—to arrest him!" put in Linda, now more at ease.
"But they can't prove anything," Mr. Jordan assured them, calmly.
"Oh, but they say they'll put third degree on him, or whatever it is, and force him to a confession. And—and—think of his poor mother!"
"But what do you girls want me to do?" he asked. "I don't see how I can stop them!"
"We just want you to establish his alibi," explained Louise. "Write down everything Mr. Mackay did from early morning till the time he started off in that new plane."
"O.K.!" exclaimed Mr. Jordan, a light breaking over his face. "That's easy! We had a salesmen's meeting at the Winton Hotel, and lunched together. I can swear Mackay was there—and so can half a dozen others. We came back here about three o'clock, and Mackay was looking over the plane and studying his maps for about half an hour. Then he took off—for Buffalo."
"That's just what we want!" cried Linda, and Louise added, "wonderful!" and squeezed the elderly man's hand. He smiled at her as if she were his daughter.
"And will you dictate that to a stenographer, and send a copy to Ted by air-mail?" urged Linda.