“I didn’t know but you’d travel on the continent before returning.”
“No, we didn’t come prepared for that. Besides, mother’s in a hurry to get back. She’d like to visit some of the war scenes, but she’d want the whole family along.”
“How many in your family?”
“Five—two boys, a girl, and father an’ mother.”
It was seven o’clock when they reached the hotel again, and both were hungry. Mrs. Burton had already dined and Smithers insisted on Guy’s eating with him. As they left the dining room they met Artie Fletcher in the lobby, where they passed the time of day (or night), and then the jeweler left the boys together and went to his room.
Guy told his friend about his drive with Smithers and remarked that he wished Artie might have accompanied them. But the young clerk had a story to tell of an interesting experience of his own that afternoon.
“I’m glad I didn’t go,” he said. “Anyway, I had to work an’ couldn’t. But you can’t guess who I saw today.”
“I give up. Who was it?”
“Mr. Highwayman of the mysterious mist.”
“What!”