stairs to his
room, and began to undress. His spirits were very high. Within an hour
or two--three hours at the very most--the telephone would ring and
Mr. Crowninshield would announce to him the glad tidings that the
thief had been caught. Then some one would motor to Barnstable,
Brockton, or wherever it was, recapture Lola, and bring her back, and
the events of the past few hours would be only a nightmare. And it
would be Bob--he and Bob--who brought about this glorious climax to a
day of catastrophes. And if such a result was accomplished had not the
owner of Surfside promised that he would never forget the service?

For his own part Walter wanted nothing. If Lola could only be found
his happiness would be complete. But if only Mr. Crowninshield would
do something wonderful for Bob! Perhaps he might give him a big sum of
money; he could well afford to. Or maybe he would put him in the way
of earning it. There was no telling what Aladdin-like feats he might
perform. Such a man was all powerful. Why, he could send Bob to Europe
if he chose! Or pay the mortgage on the house. He could make Bob's
fortune.

The younger boy thrilled at the thought.

With these optimistic and intriguing fancies in mind he slipped into
bed and soon dozed off into dreams wilder and even more extravagant.
He slept soundly and awoke with a bewildered cry when a knock came at
the door.

"It's I--Wheeler, shaver! The boss wants you on the telephone."

Up scrambled Walter, his stupor banished by the agitation of the
moment.

He did not wait to don his clothes but in his pajamas took the stairs
two at a time and soon had his ear to the receiver.

"Walter?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, we have some news, such as it is." Mr. Crowninshield's voice
sounded dubious and discouraged. "They tracked the car we were after
to Buzzard's Bay and found it there empty; its occupants had
disappeared."

"Disappeared!" repeated the astounded boy.

"Yes, they're gone! Vanished in thin air! Not a trace of them is to be
found. The abandoned automobile with its number removed, was
discovered on a side road."

"The man must be hiding somewhere in the vicinity then."

"That does not follow, son; I wish it did."

"What else could he do?"

"His accomplice from Brockton could meet him with another car, for one
thing."

"A different car, and throw us off the scent!"

"Precisely."

For a second neither of them spoke. Walter was too nonplussed and his
employe