"Uninhibited!" yelled the captain. "And they're the wrong kind of people. Betty! Charles! Can you run? Hey, Steward, give them a hand!"
"Aye, aye, sir," snapped the robot, hoisting the hampers and reaching an elbow to each of the Buttons.
"Then let's go. I hope we can make it in time to save them!"
"Them?" gulped Charles, as the robot started to run.
But the captain already was too far ahead to have heard him.
Pulled by the untiring robot, Charles and Betty made very good time, but they couldn't catch up with the captain. They had to make several stops to get their wind back, and they were still half a mile from the house when they heard her.
"Help! Murder! Police! Save me!" screamed Cousin Aurelia.
"He—he's got her!" puffed Charles, as the shrieks died away. "Hurry!"
When they got to the house, it was empty. Not even Herman was there. In the living room and the hall, there were signs of a titanic struggle. The door of Cousin Aurelia's room hung wide open.