“Hello,” he said, glancing up. “Just get back from Corbin?”
“Yes, Louise and I had plenty of excitement, but I didn’t dig up any facts you’ll dare print in the paper.”
“Did you meet Jerry anywhere?”
“Why, no, Dad.”
“The young cub is taking a vacation at my expense, running up a big motorboat bill! He should have been back here three hours ago.”
“Oh, be reasonable, Dad,” said Penny teasingly. “You can’t expect him to trace down those men just in a minute.”
“It was a wild chase anyway,” the editor growled. “I let him do it more to please you than for any other reason. But that’s beside the point. He was told to be back here by four o’clock at the latest, even if he had nothing to report.”
“Jerry is usually punctual, Dad. But I suppose being on the river he couldn’t get here just when he expected.”
“He’s probably gone fishing,” Mr. Parker declared.
He slammed down the roll top on his desk and picked up his hat.