"And now that Aunt Gertrude is coming, you won't be afraid to stay here alone," Joe pointed out.
Mrs. Hardy smiled. "And you'll leave me here all alone to the mercies of that managing woman?"
"There's not much use having us all here. Aunt Gertrude will run things anyway, whether there's three of us or a hundred."
"Yes, I suppose so. Well, I shan't be afraid to stay here as long as Aunt Gertrude is in the house. I imagine any burglar would rather deal with a vicious bulldog. Go ahead on your trip. When do you intend to start?"
"As soon as we can see Tony Prito and the rest of the boys. We want to make a real searching party of it. By the way, when will Aunt Gertrude arrive?"
"On the four o'clock train, I expect."
"Then we'll leave at about three o'clock," declared Frank, with a grin, for the boys' dislike of their tyrannical aunt was no secret in the Hardy household.
Mrs. Hardy smiled reprovingly, and the lads hustled away in search of Tony and the other boys.
Tony Prito was afire with enthusiasm when they broached the subject to him. A few words with Mr. Prito, and he obtained permission to have the use of the Napoli for as long as would be necessary.
"We'll start out as soon as we can get ready," Frank told him. "See if you can get Jerry and Phil to go with you, and we'll go and look up Perry Robinson. Perhaps he'll come along with us. We don't want to lose any time."