“They don’t believe in going to bed early,” was Mark’s comment. “Well, I don’t blame them, it’s so nice and cool now and so hot during the middle of the day.” It had been arranged that all the boys should occupy two large rooms, while the professor had a smaller room adjoining. As they went in Amos Strong cautioned them not to disturb Hockley should the latter be asleep. “Why, he isn’t here!” exclaimed Mark, who was the first to look around and make the discovery. “Isn’t here?” came from the professor. “No, sir, and the bed hasn’t been disturbed either.” At once the professor’s face grew grave, and his mind went back to a certain night in Caracas when Hockley had gone off with Dan Markel and lost all his money. Had the youth been equally misguided on this occasion? “I will go below and make inquiries concerning him,” he said, and left them. “I’ll wager Glummy has gone and done it again,” said Frank in a low voice. “More than likely,” answered Sam. “How foolish for him if he has! He might have had a very pleasant evening with us.” “Oh, Glummy has a big head and thinks he knows it all,” came from Darry. “Some time he’ll catch it worse than he did when he went out with that Markel.” So the comments of the boys ran on. In the meantime Professor Strong had followed up Hockley from the hotel proper to the café and here learned that the lad had come in early in the evening for a package of cigarettes and then gone out on the street. “Did he have any liquor?” asked Professor Strong, sharply. “I do not think so, señor,” was the reply. This was a deliberate falsehood, but the proprietor of the drinking resort did not wish to get himself into any trouble. More mystified than ever the professor went out on the street and looked up and down. He could see nothing of Hockley, and now the thoroughfares were becoming gradually deserted. It must be confessed that Amos Strong was in a quandary. What had become of his charge he could not imagine, although he strongly feared that Hockley had gone off to see the sights and gotten into some sort of trouble. “I can learn nothing of him,” said he, on returning to the rooms assigned the party. “All of you had better go to bed.” “And what will you do, Professor?” asked Mark. “I shall try to hunt him up. I cannot go to rest until I know something about him.” “Don’t you think it would be better for one of us to go with you?” “No, I think I can get along alone.” Such was Amos Strong’s decision, and he told them they had better go to bed without delay. Mark and Frank were willing enough and were soon in the land of dreams. But Darry and Sam sat by an open window discussing the situation. “After his experience with Dan Markel in Caracas you would think Hockley would turn over a new leaf,” said Darry. “But he seems bound to be wild, no matter what the cost.” “We mustn’t judge too hastily, Darry. It is barely possible that everything is all right.”