Impulsively as they had rushed into this plan, they realized that they hadn't an idea how to proceed.
"Suppose he won't see us!" remarked Louise.
"He probably won't. If we tell the secretary it is private business, she'll think we want to sell him life insurance, or something."
In that strange hotel room, as they sat looking blankly at each other, they knew that they had not thought far enough. Suddenly they were both tired and hungry.
"Let's don't do a thing this afternoon," suggested Louise. "Just call up Nancy Bancroft, and say we'll be out there right away. She's expecting us for dinner, anyhow."
Linda looked immensely relieved.
They found the girl's home without any difficulty, and were welcomed like old friends. Nancy was one of a large family, and the house fairly buzzed with gayety. There were three other guests besides themselves at dinner, and afterwards a dozen more came in for games and for dancing. It was informal and charming; both Linda and Louise would have liked nothing better than to accept Mrs. Bancroft's invitation to stay until school opened. But that would have meant relinquishing their plan, and this they would not do.
In an interval between dances, Louise drew her chum into the sitting-room where Mr. and Mrs. Bancroft were quietly reading, and asked the former to give them some help on a mystery they were trying to solve.
"Do you happen to know a man named J. W. Carwein—an importer and wholesale dealer in fine linens?" she inquired.
"Why, yes, I know the firm," replied Mr. Bancroft. "I don't know him personally. Why?"