"Dave Dashaway?" he said, half inquiringly.
"Yes, sir," assented Dave, grasping the extended hand of the gentleman.
"My best and oldest friend's boy," continued the gentleman.
"It is Mr. Dale, Dashaway," spoke Mr. King, following Dave into the room.
Somehow the young aviator felt his heart warm to the man of whom he had heard so much, but had never before seen. The old gentleman's eyes rested on him in a kindly earnest way that made Dave feel less lonely in the world.
Briefly Mr. King told of the chase he had made to locate Mr. Dale.
"I've got a long story to tell," said the aviator, when he could get a chance to talk. He turned to Mr. Dale. "That is, if you wish me to tell it," he added.
"Certainly," was the ready reply. "You can probably tell it better than I can."
"Well, to begin with, it was no easy task to get on the track of this fellow Gregg," commenced the well-known aviator. "I had to do some tall hunting before I could locate him and his two cronies."
"His cronies?" repeated Dave.