Mr. Bobbsey sent a telegram to Miles Junction for Jerry Simpson, conductor of the train, asking him to wire back the name and address of the old woman in the faded shawl. She did not have the green umbrella with her this time, and of course the big basket, in which Baby May had been left, was at the Bobbsey home.
In his telegram Mr. Bobbsey asked the conductor to send word back in care of the train dispatcher at Menton. This having been done, the twins’ father began to make inquiries of railroad men and others about the strange woman.
None of them knew her, and few of them had noticed her coming to the station to take the train. So his questions did not bring him much information.
“We must wait for an answer to the telegram,” said Mr. Bobbsey.
“And can we eat now?” asked Bert. “I’m mighty hungry.”
“You certainly shall eat!” laughed their father, and he took them to a restaurant.
They had to wait nearly an hour for the answer to come back from the conductor, as the Miles Junction stop of the train was many miles away. But finally, as the three sat in the station, waiting, the train dispatcher came out of his little office, where a hundred clocks seemed ticking. In his hand he held a paper.
“Oh, yes, I remember you. You sent a message to Mr. Simpson on train thirty-two. Well, here’s his answer.”
“Thank you,” said Mr. Bobbsey. “Any charge?”
The dispatcher went back to his clicking instruments. Mr. Bobbsey read the message to himself.
“What does it say, Daddy?” Bert ventured to ask.
“Will she come back and tell us about the baby?” Nan wanted to know. “Will she take Baby May away from us?”
“This isn’t a message from the strange woman—it’s from the train conductor,” answered Mr. Bobbsey. “It says that the old woman in the faded shawl got off at Hankertown. Um! I thought the train didn’t stop this side of Miles Junction, but it must have done so.”
“About fifteen miles from here,” his father said. “Wait until I ask the dispatcher about this.”
The dispatcher, who was also the ticket seller explained that sometimes the train stopped at way stations, before reaching Miles Junction, in case there were passengers to get off or on.
“And that’s what must have happened in this case,” the dispatcher gave as his opinion. “The party you inquired about must have had a ticket to Hankertown, and that’s why she got off there. Is there anything more I can do for you?”