distinctions are, you see, quite
positively made and everybody must keep within his assigned
pigeon-hole."

"I reckon I'll keep in mine," announced Dick.

"I should advise it if you want smooth sailing," retorted Bob. "You
will hardly----" but the sentence was never finished for a maid
approached Mr. Crowninshield at the moment and whispered:

"The telephone, sir; New York is speaking."

"New York, Dad!" exclaimed Dick excitedly. "It may be Lyman or Dacie."

"More likely it is the office," replied his mother.

"Some business matter, I fancy," said Mr. Crowninshield as he rose.
"I'm sorry to interrupt the lesson."

"I was just about through, sir."

"I'll be back in a moment probably."

"Poor father always has telephone calls," lamented Nancy
sympathetically. "If he ever starts out to play golf somebody is sure
to want him. Sometimes I wish that New York office was in the bottom
of the sea."

"I guess you'd have precious little bread and butter if it was,"
announced Dick with brotherly sarcasm.

"Certainly you wouldn't be able to provide me with any," Nancy flashed
back with a teasing laugh.

"Children!" interposed Mrs. Crowninshield.

"Here's Dad! Well, Pater, what was it?" asked Dick. Then on observing
his father was unwontedly excited he repeated, "What's up, Dad?"

"It was Lyman," Mr. Crowninshield answered. "The New York police have
run down two men and Mr. Lyman wants Bob to come over and see if he
can identify either of them as the one who kidnapped Lola."

"You could identify him, couldn't you, Bob?" Walter put in.

"Of course I could. Didn't the chap come into the station to get water
for his machine?" was the instant reply. "I talked with him quite a
bit while he was fixing up his engine. He seemed in a powerful rush to
be off and wasn't overgracious."

"But could Bob leave now, Archibald?" questioned his wife. "Isn't
there the possibility of news from Mr. O'Connel?"

"Jove! I had forgotten that."

"Maybe O'Connel won't call; he didn't to-day, you know," Nancy said.

"It seems to me Bob ought to go and land those chaps if there is a
chance of doing it," Dick declared. "He would not need to be gone more
than one night, would he?"

"No. Nevertheless, he would miss the morning wireless," returned Mr.
Crowninshield. "Should there be important news we should not get it."

"It is a pity you boys can't take a message," Nancy remarked, turning
toward her brother and Walter. "If you only had y