in front of the
hotel, Dawson opened the door, let the two F.B.I. men get out ahead of
him, and got out quickly himself, leaving Freddy Farmer the last to
alight. Without so much as a look over his shoulder, Dawson linked arms
with the two F.B.I. men and hurried them up the steps into the hotel.

"Dave!" he heard Freddy Farmer call out. "Oh, I say, _Dave_!"

The two F.B.I. men wanted to stop, but Dawson practically pushed them
through the doors.

"It's okay," he chuckled. "Just his turn to be left holding the bag.
He'll be right in. You'll see."

That was exactly the case. A moment later Freddy came hurrying inside,
flush-faced, with a very hard-eyed taxicab driver right at his heels.

"I say, Dave!" the English youth panted. "You know I haven't a bean on
me. Let me have--"

"We're all broke!" Dawson said coldly. "You were last out, anyway. Go
over to the desk, borrow the fare, and have it put on your bill. I'll
see if there's any mail for us. Meet you upstairs in our room."

Freddy Farmer glared and pursed his lips as though he were striving to
hold back the blistering words that rose in his throat.

The cab driver looked at him and scowled darkly. "How's about it,
General?" he growled. "I can't keep my hack out front all afternoon!"

"Oh yes, quite," Freddy said. "Come along!"

After giving a look that should have raised third-degree burns on the
Yank pilot's face, Freddy went over to the lobby desk and spoke to the
clerk. Bursting with inner laughter, Dawson watched Freddy's face grow
redder and redder as the desk clerk gave him the fishy eye. Then the
clerk went into the manager's office. He came right out, though, yanked
open a desk drawer, and handed a bill to Freddy.

"Now I have got to watch _my_ step, and how!" Dawson chuckled, and
walked over to the mail window.

There was something in the box. It was a telegram addressed to them
both. Dave ripped it open and was reading the message just as Freddy
Farmer came over. The wire read:

"Take seven P.M. plane for Washington La Guardia Airport. Report my
office War Department on arrival.

COLONEL WELSH"

"And so what?" Dave asked, looking at Freddy Farmer.

"So leave it over, I fancy," the English youth murmured with a frown. "I
wonder what now?"

"You do the guessing; I'm stumped," Dawson said, glancing up quickly as
Agents Carter and Hickson came over.

There was a telegram in Agent Carter's hand. Agent Hickson looked as
though