“Say, Dad, can’t you and I take the trail after this old woman ourselves?” asked Bert, in a whisper of his father, while Mr. Meekin was at the telephone, calling up the constable.
“Yes, I intend to do what I can,” answered Mr. Bobbsey. “I’ll take the auto and ride along every road I think the old woman must have taken. And you may go with me, Bert.”
“Oh, do you think that will be wise?” asked his wife, overhearing what was said.
“Yes,” her husband answered. “Bert will be a help to me. We may have to be gone all night.”
Bert’s eyes sparkled with pleasure as his father said this. It might be a great adventure!
“Bert, you must take good care of yourself,” said his mother anxiously. “I wouldn’t have anything happen to you for the world!”
“Oh, I’ll be all right, don’t worry,” returned the son, with all the confidence of a growing boy.
“But that woman may not be as nice as you think. For all we know, she may be crazy and liable to do any wicked thing,” remarked Mrs. Meekin.
“I’ll keep my eyes open,” declared Bert sturdily.
“Jim’ll be right over in his car,” said Mr. Meekin, as he hung up the telephone. “And while we’re waiting, let’s look the ground over and see what happened.”