"Fenton Hardy."
"What on earth can this call mean?" exclaimed Frank, in complete amazement.
"I can't understand it at all," admitted their mother. She was frankly worried.
"I don't care whether I understand it or not," said Joe. "It means he wants us to go out West, and that's enough for me. When can we start?"
"The telegram says 'at once,'" Mrs. Hardy remarked. "It seems very strange. And so sudden, too. I wonder what on earth he can want you for?"
"Perhaps he needs our help on that case he's working on," Frank suggested.
Aunt Gertrude, who had hitherto taken no part in the discussion, sniffed audibly.
The Hardy boys were so excited that they could hardly eat their breakfast. All through the meal they jubilantly discussed details of the proposed trip and when Mrs. Hardy, although admittedly worried at the prospect of letting them go so far by themselves, agreed that they might go immediately, as the telegram suggested, they flung themselves into a feverish orgy of packing.
Jadbury Wilson was highly interested and gave them a number of excellent suggestions as to what they should take with them on the trip.
"Lots of good, heavy underclothes and plenty of woolen socks," he said. "You'll find it plenty colder out there than it is here."