“Why, it is that same man in gray who attended the flower show at Mrs. Langley’s!” Vevi exclaimed. “What is he doing here? Why is he trying to break into the little house?” _Chapter 13_ A BAG OF TULIPS As the two girls watched, the man in gray merely shook the padlock, but did not try to smash it open. Hanny and Vevi hurried over to the little house. “Why are you trying to break in?” Hanny demanded severely of the stranger. “Just checking,” he replied. He smiled at her in a friendly way, not acting in the least as if he had been caught trying to steal or do anything dishonest. “Is your uncle at home, Hanny?” “No, he isn’t,” Hanny answered. She was astonished that the man knew her first name. “What are you doing here anyhow?” questioned Vevi alertly. “You’re not a detective, are you?” Once a long while before, the little girl had been carried away with a circus and during the exciting trip had met a detective. The manner of this quiet stranger reminded her somewhat of the other investigator. “My name is Frederick Evans,” the man replied. “I’m with the FBI.” “The FBI!” gasped Vevi, deeply impressed. “Is that the secret service?” “FBI stands for Federal Bureau of Investigation. I’m doing a little investigating.” Mr. Evans then began to ask casual questions about Hanny’s uncle and the various customers who came to his farm. He inquired as to recent shipments of tulip bulbs from Holland and whether or not Mr. Van Der Lann had any helpers. “Only me,” Hanny replied to the last question. “We did have a hired man earlier this spring. But now he is working for Mr. and Mrs. Mattox.” Mr. Evans next asked if Hanny’s uncle had a customer by the name of Mrs. Gabriel. “Oh, no!” the little girl returned with emphasis. “She used to come here, but Uncle Peter told her he did not want her business.” “Did he tell you why?” Hanny shook her head. She had been made very uneasy by so many questions about her uncle. “I’ll drop around later when Mr. Van Der Lann is at home,” the FBI man said to reassure her. “He may be able to help me.” Very shortly the stranger left without explaining why he had come to Windmill Farm or what he was investigating. Hanny, however, was very worried. “FBI men always arrest people, don’t they?” she remarked nervously to Vevi. “Why would he come here?” “Maybe he thinks your uncle has done something wrong.” “Not Uncle Peter,” declared Hanny. “No, it is about Mrs. Gabriel, I think. Oh, dear, I wish my uncle were here. I’m worried.” By this time it was quite late. Mr. Van Der Lann had been gone much longer than half an hour. Vevi knew she would have to start home at once if she were to be on time for supper. “I must go right away,” she said. “I will see you tomorrow, Hanny. Thanks a lot for the bag of bulbs.” “Uncle Peter will take you home if you wait.” “I had better go now,” Vevi decided. “My Mother will be expecting me.” Hanny walked with her to the gate. The bus did not run very often, so Vevi set off afoot.