porter turned to go upstairs he saw, entering the
hospital, a young man whom he recognized as Hans Fritsch, the German
newspaper man he had met at the lonely tenement.

"What are you doing here?" asked Larry, noting that his friend was
attired in an automobile suit.

"I comes to see how gets along a friend of mine. He is here sick. I
have a day off from mine work and I comes in my new automobile.
After dot I goes me for a nice ride. Come along!"

"Where are you going?" asked Larry, a sudden idea coming into his
head.

"Ofer by New Jersey. Dere is goot automobiling roads."

"Are you going to Jersey City?"

"Sure. I goes by dot on der ferry. Den I skips out by der Plank
Roat, und maybe I goes me out to der Oranges Mountains. I am just
learning to run my car goot!"

"I'll go with you!" cried Larry. "Have you room in your car for
two?"

"Surely! For four, if you likes to bring 'em. My mother, who is in
Germany, und quite vell off, send me der car for a birthday present,
odervise I should not haff him. Reporters here do not get monies
enough to buy automobiles!"

"I'll be with you in five minutes!" exclaimed Larry, hurrying off to
tell Grace.

"I am ready as soon as I see how my sick friend is," declared the
German reporter. "Den we go quick like de wind, und haff a goot
time!"

"Yes, and maybe a hot pursuit!" said Larry under his breath, for he
had determined on a bold plan. He would, in Fritsch's auto, give
chase to the captors of Mr. Potter.

CHAPTER XXX

MR. POTTER IS FOUND--CONCLUSION

There was a throbbing of the motor, a grinding and shrieking as the
clutch was thrown in, a trembling to the car as Fritsch advanced the
spark and opened the gasolene throttle still wider and the
automobile, bearing the German reporter, Larry and Grace, was off.

"Here are some goggles!" said Fritsch, handing back two pairs to his
passengers. "You vill need dem when ve goes like de wind. If I had
known I was to haff a lady I would get a dust coat."

"It doesn't matter," replied Grace, her eyes shining with the
excitement. "I want to find my father."

"Your father?"

Then Larry explained. He could safely do so since the German paper
did not come out until the morning of the next day, and Fritsch
could not "beat" him.

Faster speeded the auto. They went over the Hudson River on a ferry
boat, and, as soon as Jersey City was reached, the car was sent
along as fast as the law allowed.

"I wonder if I can g