"A telegram for me," murmured Joe. "It must be from dad. I may have to send an answer. Did the messenger wait?"
"No, he's gone."
"All right, if I do have to wire, perhaps I can get permission to go in to town to do it."
Quickly Joe tore open the message. It was brief, and it was from his father.
"Understand Holdney is somewhere near Cedarhurst," the message read. "Keep a look-out, and if you get trace notify police there at once. Arrest on larceny charge."
"Rufus Holdney near here," murmured Joe. "I must keep my eyes open. I'll wire dad at once, telling him I'm on the job."
He hurried from his room, stuffing the telegram in his pocket as he went, and never noticing as he passed Luke's door that it fell out into the corridor.
"I hope I can get permission to go to the telegraph office," mused Joe as he hastened to the office. "I guess the doctor will let me when I tell him what it's about."
As Joe turned a corner out of sight, Luke sprang out, picked up the message and envelope, and exclaimed:
