"Has this friend of your brother's—Brightwood, did you say his name was?—has he a seaplane?"
"Is that an airplane which flies up from the ocean and lights upon it when one wishes it to?"
"Yes."
"He has one of those. Yes, I'm sure of it. He wanted to take me for a ride out over the sea last summer."
"And is he what you would call a daring chap, ready to attempt anything?"
"Why, yes, he is; but—but how do you know so many things?"
Again he lapsed into silence. On arriving at the estate they found Gladys' father in a strange state of agitation.
"Just received a telegram from an old and trusted friend who is on the coast of Maine. He says Vincent has been seen there within the last twenty-four hours. What that can mean I haven't the faintest notion. I should go there at once but business makes it entirely impossible."
"Under one condition," said Curlie soberly, "I will go East and attempt to bring your son home. Indeed, I shall go anyway; have already arranged transportation, in fact, and leave in two hours; but it would please me if I might go with your approval."