"None at all," replied the agent, staring at him. "Oh, you'll find it lonely up on Knob Hill. But you said in your letter that you wanted a quiet, isolated place——"
"That's right, Mr. Kilkane. I'm not complaining, merely inquiring. However, it might be wise for us to spend the night at a hotel and pay our first visit to the cottage by daylight."
The real estate agent tapped his pen against the desk and frowned.
"We never had but one hotel here and it went out of business three years ago. I could put you up at my house——"
"No, we don't wish to cause you any trouble," Mr. Nichols said quickly. "Penny and I will just drive on to the cottage."
"You can't miss the place," declared Mr. Kilkane eagerly. "I'll loan you my lantern too."
"Will we need a lantern?" gasped Penny.
"Well, you might, Miss. The cottage is wired for electricity but sometimes the company is slow about getting it turned on."
Penny and her father exchanged a quick glance but offered no comment. Mr. Nichols wrote out a check for the rent and in return received the key to the cottage. Mr. Kilkane carried the lantern out to the car for them and told Mr. Nichols how to reach the place.
"Remember now," he said in parting, "if everything isn't right at the cottage, just let me know."