"Then I'll hire the best private detectives to be had!" exclaimed Grace. "Where ought I to go?" Larry named an agency, that he had heard was first-class, and offered to take Grace to the office. The reporter knew one of the men on the staff, as he had once written a story in which he figured, and the officer had been grateful for the mention of his name. Detectives, even private ones, are prone to vanity in this respect, as a rule. "I don't like to take up so much of your time," objected the girl, as Larry prepared to go with her to the detective agency. "My time is yours in this case. I have nothing to do for the _Leader_ but to find your father. This is part of the work." "I wouldn't think it could pay a newspaper to put one man exclusively on a case like this." "The editors think it does. In the first place it makes some news every day, and the papers have to have news. Then if I should happen to find Mr. Potter, it would be a big advertisement for the _Leader_, and that is what all the New York papers are looking for. The better advertised they are the better prices they can charge for the advertisements printed in them, for it's from the advertisements that a newspaper makes its money. Besides, I've promised to find your father for you and I'm going to do it!" Larry looked very determined. "My! I never supposed newspaper work was so complicated," said Grace, with a little sigh. "Now let's go to the detectives. I'm almost afraid. It sounds so awful to say 'detective.'" Larry found the man he knew in the office of the agency, and the latter introduced him to the chief. The reporter explained the reason for the visit, and Grace added a plea that they do all in their power to locate Mr. Potter. "I thought you'd come here sooner or later," said the chief with a smile. "Most folks do when they find the regular police don't give enough attention to the cases. It's not the fault of the police, though. They have so much to do they can't give much time to a single case. But of course we can. Now then, tell me all about it." Which Grace, aided by Larry, proceeded to do. The chief listened intently, and asked several questions. He took the two letters which Grace had from her father and looked carefully at them. "Do you think you'll be able to do anything?" asked the girl anxiously. The strain was beginning to tell heavily on her. "Of course we will!" exclaimed the chief, heartily. "We'll find your father for you, you can depend on it!" Larry did not want to tell her that the chief was thus optimistic in regard to every case he undertook. It was a habit of his, not a bad one, perhaps, and it did little harm, for nearly all of his clients wanted cheering up. "What do you think about this, young man?" asked the chief, turning suddenly to Larry. "In regard to what, Mr. Grover?" "Where do you think Mr. Potter is? I understand you've been working on this case. In fact, I have all your stories clipped from the _Leader_."