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the blue hat. A different man——”
    â€œOh, a man, hey?” said the Inspector quickly. “What did he look like, madam?”
    â€œHe—he …” And she stopped. “I think he was tall.”
    â€œOh!” gasped an Amazonian woman with a wart on her nose. “Miss Starbuck, that’s wrong !”
    The charming lady sniffed. “Perhaps it is, but I saw him and——”
    â€œWhy, I noticed him, too!” cried the Amazon. “And I’m sure he was rather stocky!”
    Light dawned in several pairs of eyes. “I remember now,” volunteered a chubby, gentleman with a bald head. “Yes, indeed. I’m positive he was small and thin and—er—fortyish.”
    â€œNonsense!” said the Amazon sharply. “You’ve always had a notoriously poor memory, Mr. Scott. I distinctly recall——”
    â€œNow that I come to think of it,” ventured a little old lady timidly, “I believe I saw him, too. He was a tall, stout young man——”
    â€œTime, time,” said the Inspector wearily. “We’ll never get anywhere this way. It’s pretty evident none of you knows what this nineteenth bird looked like. But do any of you remember if he made the return trip to the bus terminal with you?”
    â€œI do,” said Miss Starbuck instantly. “I’m positive he came back with us. He got off just in front of me. After that I didn’t see him any more.” And the charming lady glared at the Amazon as if daring her to contradict that statement.
    But no one did. Inspector Thumm scraped his jaw in noisy meditativeness. “All right,” he said finally. “At least we know where we stand. Suppose I delegate you—what’s your name again——?”
    â€œOnderdonk. Luther Onderdonk,” said the spokesman eagerly.
    â€œSuppose I delegate you, Mr. Onderdonk, to keep in touch with me for your party in case anything turns up. For instance, if any of you should see either of the two men who were on the bus with you yesterday, tell Mr. Onderdonk and he’ll call me at my office.” He dropped his card on the cloth and the spokesman picked it up with cautious fingers. “Keep your eyes open, all of you.”
    â€œYou’ll be acting as detectives,” said Patience brightly. “I’m sure it will prove the most exciting part of your stay in New York.”
    The seventeen Indiana school-teachers beamed as one.
    â€œYeah, but don’t go messin’ around,” growled the Inspector. “Just sit tight and watch. How long you staying in the city?”
    â€œWe were scheduled to leave for home,” said Mr. Onderdonk with an apologetic cough, “on Friday.”
    â€œWeek’s vacation, hey? Well, before you check out here, be sure and give me a ring, anyway.”
    â€œI shall most certainly do that, Inspector Thumm,” said Mr. Onderdonk earnestly. “I really shall.”
    The Inspector stamped out of the Park Hill’s salle à manger followed meekly by Patience, scowled fiercely at a pale and deflated maître d’hôtel in the foyer, and led the way through the lobby to the Plaza.
    Patience’s meekness vanished. “I think you’re horrid, father—frightening those people that way. The poor things were scared half to death. They’re like a group of children.”
    Unexpectedly, the Inspector chuckled. He winked at an ancient cabby drowsing at the kerb above a patient old nag. “Technique, kid, technique! With a woman it’s just a matter of turning on the big baby lamps and smiling. But when a man wants something he’s got to holler louder and make worse faces than the next guy, or else he doesn’t get anywhere. I’ve always felt sorry for the little skinny guys.”
    â€œHow about Napoleon?” said Patience, linking her arm with her father’s.
    â€œDon’t tell me