Page:Ned Wilding's Disappearance.djvu/138

128 A few minutes later they found a place where scores of instruments were clicking away and forwarded this message, addressed to Mrs. Kenfield:

"'Ned's chums arrived to find house closed. No trace of Ned. Understand he went away with you. Can you tell us where he is now?'"

They told the clerk they would call for the answer in about two hours, as they wanted to allow plenty of time for a reply.

"Meanwhile we'll go and get dinner," suggested Fenn.

"Let's check our valises somewhere," proposed Bart. "I'm tired lugging mine around."

"Leave 'em at the station where our trunks are," Frank put in. "We may have to start back home soon, and they'll be handy for us there."

"Too far away," objected Fenn. "Here's a good place."

He pointed to a newsstand built under one of the elevated railroad stations, where a sign was displayed, announcing small parcels would be checked for ten cents. They left their grips, receiving little brass tags in return, and then went to a restaurant where they had dinner.

"Lets go back and see if there's an answer to