“It may be of no use,” replied Frank. “How do we know they have not already found the fellows?”
At this juncture a policeman waved to the boys from across the street, and came up to Frank.
“The chief is going to have a hearing to-day and wants you to be present. Also you,” turning to Lanky. “It will be at two o’clock.”
“Can we go?” Ralph West immediately asked, meaning Paul Bird and himself.
“Sure, you can go! But I don’t know whether the chief will let you in.”
“We’ll go and try,” both the boys agreed.
Just before two o’clock all four of them were at the chief’s office, but Paul and Ralph were refused admission. At this refusal, which had been expected, they told Frank and Lanky they were going to remain within easy distance, because they wanted to get in on the search and its expected excitement, if one should be started.
In the chief’s office Frank and Lanky saw Mrs. Parsons, the chief, the two policemen who had been there when called to the place by telephone, and, much to the surprise of both the boys, Fred Cunningham was sitting there.
As these two boys were the last, evidently, who had come of those invited or summoned, the chief greeted them quietly and at once started his hearing.
Mrs. Parsons first told her story, practically the same as she had told two nights before, the difference lying primarily in her quietness of manner as opposed to the rather hysterical recital she had formerly made.