“Stacy is all right. Why worry?” answered Tom.
The Overland Riders did worry, however, and, though they discussed other things than the missing boy, he was constantly on the mind of each member of the outfit. Nora was the first to voice her worry.
“Hippy Wingate, I want you to go and find Stacy at once,” she exclaimed. “I can’t stand this worry another minute.”
“Very well. I suppose there will be no sleep in this outfit until I solve the mystery,” answered Lieutenant Wingate, getting up and stretching himself. “I’d a heap sight rather go to bed.”
“Hippy!” admonished Nora.
“All right. I’ll go.” Hippy stalked from camp grumbling under his breath, determined, once he laid hands on his trouble-breeding nephew, to punish him severely.
Reaching the hotel, Lieutenant Wingate went directly to the night clerk and made inquiries. The clerk had neither seen nor heard of Stacy Brown—in fact he did not know who the boy was.
Hippy went out wondering what next to do. Observing a sentry, one of the Park guards, pacing up and down before the army headquarters, the Overland Rider approached and hailed the sentry.
“Have you seen anything of a fat boy named Brown ’round here this evening, Buddy?” he questioned.
The sentry said that he had not.