They called for their bill, and then made for the nearest phone. The friend was located without difficulty in the telephone directory, and a moment later John was in a booth holding an animated conversation. Jack, who was waiting outside, saw John hang up and come out smiling.
“Ted’s going to look after us!” he announced, gleefully. “He even says he thinks he can get us a car just like the girls’ so that, barring accidents, they’ll not be able to travel faster than we can. We’re to wait here for Ted; he’ll be along in ten minutes.”
“I was just thinking while you were in there phoning,” mused Jack. “Suppose we are able to hire a car, and trail the girls all the way to Lima without anything happening. Who is going to drive the car back?”
“That would be a jolt, now wouldn’t it?” considered John, thoughtfully. “But why worry about that now? We’ll take a tip from General Grant, and cross that bridge when we come to it!”
“What’s General Grant got to do with it?” said Jack mournfully. “He won’t be in Lima to drive the car back.”
John threw back his head and laughed heartily.
“I had in mind that story of how, when someone asked him what retreat he had provided for in case a certain offensive failed, he said ‘We’re not going to retreat!’ If nothing happens, I guess we can get in touch with the owner of the car and have him send on some reliable person to drive it back. But why worry? It is my opinion, that if those fellows are going to interfere, they’ll do it before they get too far from home; for why should they be any more anxious than we are to take such a long drive. Their absence might cause suspicion.”
Here John turned to greet a tall young man who was advancing upon him with outstretched hand. “Hello, Ted!”
“Hadley, old man, you’re the last person in the world I expected to see out here! How come?”
“It’s a long story,” replied John, introducing him to Jack.