“Out of this door is the quickest,” said Roy quickly, with a feeling that he would rather walk to the grounds alone than with such a companion.
“But we’re not going to walk, sir. The committee has sent an auto for you.”
“A car, eh?” said Roy; “well, that’s considerate of them. I’ll tell my sister. She might like to come along, too.”
The messenger shook his head.
“Sorry, sir; but we’ve got to pick up some other aviators on our way and every bit of room in the car will be taken.”
“Oh, very well, then,” said Roy, “lead on.”
The blue-chinned Dade shuffled across the lobby with a furtive air.
“Funny,” thought Roy. “I’ve seen that chap some place before, but to save my life I can’t place him.”
Cudgelling his brains to try to recall where he had met the man, Roy passed through the hotel lobby and out into the street. In the lamplight he saw a big car standing at the curb, shaking as its ungeared engine puffed and chugged. A chauffeur, with an auto mask and goggles on, sat on the front seat. Roy got in behind in the tonneau while the messenger took his seat by the chauffeur.
He said something in a low whisper to the driver and the next instant there was a grinding whirr as the gears were connected and the car rolled forward.