“Here he is, Mother,” he sang out, releasing his captive. “This is Teddy Allison, the best pal a fellow ever had.”
Whatever shyness Teddy might have felt was banished at once by the warmth with which Mrs. Sturdy drew him to her and gave him a hug, putting him at ease at once.
There was a host of questions from Mrs. Sturdy regarding Ruth, who, the captain in his cablegram had assured her, was safe with them at home. When these queries had been satisfactorily answered, she in turn told them of the adventures of herself and her husband after they had been rescued from the Mercury.
Tears came into her eyes as, in response to their first eager queries, she told them that nothing had developed as to her husband’s whereabouts since she had sent her cablegram.
“I’ve searched everywhere,” she said. “I’ve written and telegraphed to all parts of Egypt. At first I was crippled for lack of funds, but after I received the money you sent I employed private detective agencies as well. But all of it has resulted in nothing. It is as though he has vanished off the face of the earth.”
At this point she broke down.
“Oh, if you knew how I have suffered!” she said. “If you only knew!”
Don hugged her and tried to comfort her, and the professor patted her hand consolingly.
“Never mind, Alice,” he said. “We’re with you now, and we’ll search the whole length and breadth of Egypt.”
“We’ll find him,” asserted the captain, the very bigness of him adding power to the conviction in his tone. “You’ve had an awful burden to bear, you poor girl, but now, as far as you can, you must shift it to our shoulders.”