At first he thought of calling on Mr. Newton. But as the reporter lived quite a distance away Larry decided this would not be wise. Then he thought he would call his friend up on the telephone. But the idea of talking about the blue-handed man over the wire, where anyone might hear it, did not seem to be exactly right. “I’ll wait until morning,” thought Larry. “We can’t do anything now. Besides we’re on the right trail. I know where to find Peter, and maybe I can get some information out of him.” With this end in view Larry proceeded on his way home. It was getting close to midnight, and he was a little worried lest his mother be alarmed over his long absence. He found her waiting for him. “Oh, Larry!” she exclaimed. “You have given me such a fright!” “Why, mother, what’s the matter?” “Oh, I thought perhaps those men had done you some harm.” “What men?” “Why, the ones who are trying to get the deed away from us.” “Have they been bothering you again?” “Yes. One was here a while ago.” “Was it anyone that had been here before?” he asked. “No, this was a different one. He came in about nine o’clock when the children were in bed, and Lucy and I sitting here. He seemed nice at first, and then he began to ask me about the deed. He said you had sent him.” “Me, mother? I never sent anyone.” “Well, that’s what he said. He wanted me to sign an agreement to sell the property.” “I hope you didn’t sign, mother.” “No, I didn’t, Larry, and when I refused the man was very angry. He tried to hide his feelings, but I could see he was mad. Then he wanted to look at the deed, but I remembered what you had said, and I would not show it to him. Pretty soon he went away, but I was very much frightened.” “What sort of a looking man was he?” “Rather short, and dark-complexioned. He had a little black mustache which he kept pulling at all the time, and there was a scar under his left eye.” Larry started as he heard these details. He began to see who the man was. “Did you notice anything else about him, mother?” “Nothing special, except that he kept his gloves on all the while he was here.” “Are you sure of that, mother?” “Of course, Larry. I spoke of it to Lucy afterward. I even asked him to take them off, as it was rather warm.” “What did he say?” “He seemed quite excited, and buttoned up one that had come open.” “Did you notice anything else?” “No, I didn’t, but Lucy did. She spoke to me about it afterward. She said she caught a glimpse of the man’s wrist where the glove was turned back, and it seemed to be of a red color.” “A red color!” exclaimed Larry. “I mean blue,” went on Mrs. Dexter. “She said it looked as if the man worked in a bluing factory. Perhaps that is why he kept his gloves on. He did not want people to see his blue hands.” “I guess that’s the reason,” said Larry, trying to speak calmly. But he was greatly excited. The plot, which seemed to involve him and his folks in the safe-robbing, seemed to be growing more tangled.