“That’s no go, either,” he said, after a minute’s telephone conversation. “I’ll try my hall-porter now. He’s a cousin of mine.”

The hall-porter had some news. “Yes!” Jim kept saying. “Yes, that’s the one! Yes, yes! You heard him say that, did you? Thanks most awfully.”

“What is it?” asked Dick, eagerly, when Jim at last put down the receiver.

“Pat — that’s the hall porter — says he was off duty this afternoon, and went to buy some cigarettes at a little shop in the main street of Graysfield, where his hotel is — and as he stood talking to the fellow in the shop an enormous car drew up at the kerb — silver-grey, with blue wings — an American car, left-hand drive and all.”

“Yes — what next?” said Julian, eagerly.

“Well, the driver got out to get some cigarettes at the shop. He had dark glasses on, and a big gold ring on his finger — Pat noticed that…”

“That must be the man who asked about us at the tea-shop in Kirrin!” said Julian, remembering. “Go on, Jim — this is wonderful!”

“Well, Pat’s interested in big cars, so he went out and had a good look at it,” said Jim. “He said the car had its blinds drawn down at the back, so he couldn’t see inside. The fellow with the dark glasses came out and got into the driver’s seat again. He called out to whoever was behind and said ‘Which way now?’ ”

“Yes, yes — did he hear the answer?” said Julian.

“Somebody called back and said, ‘Not far now. Into Twining, turn to the left, and it’s the house on the hill.’ ”

“Well! Of all the luck!” said Dick. “Would that be where G…” He stopped at a sharp nudge from Julian, and remembered that he mustn’t give too much away to the helpful Jim.

Julian passed over ten shillings to the pleased garage boy, who pocketed it at once, grinning. “Now, you just come along to me if you want to know about any more cars,” he said. “I’ll phone all over the place for you! Thanks a lot!”

They sped back to Kirrin Cottage, too excited even to talk. They flung their bicycles against the wall and ran in to tell Anne and Joan. Timmy and Sally sensed their excitement and danced round, barking loudly.

“We know where George is!” cried Dick. “We know, we know!”

Joan and Anne listened eagerly. “Well, Master Julian,” said Joan, in admiration, “it was really smart of you to make Jim phone up like that. The police couldn’t have done better. What are you going to do now? Ring up that sergeant?”

“No,” said Julian. “I’m so afraid that if the police get moving on this now, they’ll alarm Gringo and he’ll spirit George away somewhere else. Dick and I will go to this place tonight, and see if we can’t get hold of George and bring her back! After all — it’s only an ordinary house, I imagine — and as Gringo doesn’t suspect that anyone knows where George is, he won’t be on the look-out!”