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Rh comes," answered Dick, who did not want to do anything hastily. "Perhaps father may want us to work on the case from this end."

"What about Fred and Hans?" asked Tom.

"They'll go along—part of the way," answered Sam. "They said they would."

"It's too bad to break up their vacation."

"Oh, they understand matters. And, besides, they are both going elsewhere next week," answered Tom.

Impatiently the three Rovers waited for news from their father or from the Stanhopes. At supper time Mr. Randolph Rover returned from Oak Run.

"Here is a telegram from your father, stating he arrived safely at Cedarville," said the boys' uncle. "We ought to get some word late tonight about this mysterious affair.

A little later Tom was outside, walking around the piazza. He was looking on the ground, and presently saw something bright lying at the foot of a bush, and stooped to pick it up. It was a queer-shaped stone, of blue and white.

"I've seen that stone before," he murmured, as he turned it over in his hand. "It doesn't belong to any of our folks. Maybe it is Fred's, or Hans'."

With his find in his hand he entered the house,