The train rolled on, and for the time being the boys had little to do but talk over the situation. At a junction point Fred left them. He promised to write and asked them to send him the particu lars of what they did.
Just before Ithaca was reached, the train was delayed. As a consequence they missed the last boat for Cedarville that night.
"That's too bad," said Dick. "Now we won't be able to get to the Stanhope place until eleven o'clock tomorrow morning."
"Well, we can send a telegram to dad at Cedarville," said Sam. "And maybe we can telephone," he added.
At Ithaca Hans left them.
"I keeps mine eyes open for dot Dad Sobber," said he. "Of I finds him I let you know."
"That's the talk, Hans!" cried Tom. "You play detective and some day perhaps you'll win a great big leather medal."
"Yah, dot's so," answered the German youth, complacently.
At the telegraph office they sent a message to their father, who had engaged a room at the new Cedarville Hotel. They mentioned that they would go to the Axtell House in Ithaca, and asked him to communicate with them there by telephone.
