Lola the minute the Davenports
went. I saw the affair had nothing to do with you. Nevertheless, I
wasn't sorry to try you out and see how much of the man was in you.
You're all right, boy. Cheer up! Nobody is going to pack you home to
your mother, so don't worry. And far from blaming you, if I want help
about finding Lola, I'll add you to my detective force. You may be
useful, who knows?"

The words, designed merely to be comforting, were idly, kindly spoken,
and carried little real weight. Had the master of the house really
suspected how true they were to prove he would have been astonished.

CHAPTER VIII

A BLUNDER AND WHAT CAME OF IT

As if a weight had been removed from his soul Walter moved away. The
whole world had suddenly become a different place. Although the
calamity of Lola's disappearance was none the less distressing at
least on his own particular horizon there no longer loomed the spectre
of discharge and all the disgrace that accompanied it. He could have
tossed his cap into the air for very joy and gratitude. In his relief
he was bursting to talk to somebody, and as he had permission to use
the telephone in order to keep in touch with his family it occurred to
him that now was the moment to call up Bob and impart the exciting
tidings of the afternoon. Bob was always off duty at this hour and if
he had the good luck to find him at the station just the sound of his
voice would be infinitely comforting.

Hastening in the side door he glanced into the wee telephone closet.

No one was there, and he took down the receiver and called the Seaver
Bay station. In another instant Bob's _Hello_ came cheerily over the
wire.

"It's Walter, Bob."

"Anything the matter, kid?"

"N--o. Yes. That is, something _was_ the matter but it is all over
now. I just wanted to talk to you."

"Well, fire ahead. What do you want to say?"

"Oh, a lot. I hardly know how to start." The boy laughed nervously.

"You're not sick?"

"Oh, no."

"Well, we can't hold this line forever, son, so break away and tell
your tale as fast as you can."

"I'll try to, Bob."

Incoherently the lad poured out his story. Once launched it came
readily from his tongue and he continued to the end of it without
interruption from his distant listener. When, however, he had
finished, Bob's crisp tones came singing over the wire:

"You went out to walk about three, you say?"

"Yes."

"And returned?"

"It must have been half-pa