Larry was sure this man had been staring at him, but, try as he did, the young reporter could not remember where he had seen him before. As he turned back to look once more at the elephants, Larry noticed that the man’s eyes were turned toward Jimmy, who, in a new suit, was an attractive-looking little chap.
“I wonder if he’s a kidnapper?” mused Larry, half inclined to laugh at his foolish fancies. “I must keep watch, and see if he follows us when we leave.”
Larry gradually drew the children away from the elephant inclosure, and over to where the monkeys were housed. The reporter watched, but, though he was sure the man looked after them, and noted where they went, he did not leave the spot where he was.
Mary and Jimmy found much to amuse them in the house of the primates. The funny antics of the monkeys kept the crowd in roars of laughter. Even Larry forgot about keeping his eye on Jimmy, and watched the odd contortions of the queer, half-human-looking beasts.
Once again, however, he became aware of that strange feeling of being under observation. Looking around, he saw the same man behind them. Larry had no doubt now but that the fellow was following them.
“Well, if he thinks that he’s going to kidnap Jimmy right from under my nose, he’ll find he’s barking up the wrong tree!” exclaimed Larry, as he put his arm around his brother. “All the same, I guess we’d better get out of here. Some others of the blue-handed man’s gang may be on the lookout for us, and I don’t care to have a fight.”
They walked about the park a little while longer, and then, as they were getting hungry, decided to start for home. When they boarded a car Larry looked all about to see if he had been followed. There was quite a throng of people, and the reporter, though he was not quite sure, thought he saw the man who had stood near him in the elephants’ inclosure, and also in the monkey house. The man, if he was the same one, was accompanied by a boy about Larry’s age.
“I’m almost sure that lad was Peter Manton,” thought Larry. “There’s something underhanded about this whole thing. I wish I could find out what it is, and break up the gang.”
Larry, with the children, reached home before Mrs. Dexter and Lucy returned. As Mary and Jimmy were hungry, Larry began foraging in the cupboard to find something to give the youngsters.
As he took the cover off a dish in the pantry, to see what the receptacle contained, Larry saw a paper in it.