"I don't care how hard I work, so long as we can find some trace ofJack," declared Sam positively.
An aged negro driving a dejected-looking white horse jogged by. Thehorse was plastered with dust till it was difficult to decide on whathis real color might be.
Sam stopped De Garros by a tug at the arm.
"Stop that fellow," he said; "there's another white horse."
But oddly enough it was the darky who pulled up without any admonitionto stop. He checked his aged beast and addressed De Garros.
"'Pears ter me lak you am de party wot addressed dat young man wot wasa-helpin' an-nudder gen'mun inter mah equipage dis mawn-in'?" he said.
"That's right!" cried De Garros. "You're the man we've been looking highand low for. Where did you take him?"
"'Bout five miles out down de Castle Road, 'Busha,'" said the old man.
"Five miles out down the road?"
"Yas, Busha, an' den dey takes him an' puts him in an awfulmobile andruns off wid him. Ah t'inks to myself dat ain' des right. When Ah getsback to town, Ah's goin' to hunt up dat gen'muns wot spoke to him dismawnin' and acquaint him with de circumplexes."
"Great Scott! This is a clew, indeed. Do you know where they were goingto take him?" choked out Sam.
"Yas, Busha. I hear dem say de Lion's Mouf."
"The Lion's Mouth!"
"Dat's right, massa. De Lion's Mouf ol' time name fo' a mighty big holein de groun' out at ol' Don Pedro's Castle. Don' nobody hardly never godar. White folks don' know 'bout it. Niggers all scared ob dere bein' aghos'. Ah was dere once when Ah was lil' an' dat's all I know 'bout it."
De Garros, with the excitable nature of his race, was hopping about fromfoot to foot. As the old negro finished speaking, he burst out:
"Do you want to make some money?"
The old man's eyes popped out of his head. Here was another chance tomake money. Things were coming his way. But he deemed it well to beprudent.
"Oh, as ter dat, I ain't particular. Ah'm right tired an'----"
"Put your horse in the stable and meet us here in half an hour. It willbe worth your while. I want you to guide us to the Lion's Mouth."
"Berry well, Busha. Ah'll jes' put up ole Whitey, he's nigh tired out,an' Ah'll be right back."
"Good; hurry. Now, then, Sam----"
"Where are you going?" demanded Sam, carried off his feet by thevolcanic activity of the young Frenchman. "What are you going to donow?"
"Get about a mile of rope and then charter the fastest auto they've gotin this town," was the reply.
"Then you think----"
"I don't think, I know, that in revenge for his activities against him,Jarrold has tried to wreak a hideous vengeance on Jack."
"In the Lion's Mouth?"
"I don't know. I surmise so. But let's waste no time here inspeculation. Get two hundred feet of the best manila rope you can buy.In the mean time I'll charter a car. Then we'll pick up old Black Strapand drive at top speed for the Lion's Mouth."
"Heaven grant we won't be too late!" exclaimed Sam, but the lively youngaviator had darted off, leaving Sam dazed. Truly the climax had comequickly. Jack kidnapped, possibly drugged, and cast into a deep pit! Hadit not been for Providence, they might never have heard of him again.
And so it came about that when Jack emerged from the mouth of "thechimney," not more than twenty yards from the rim of the Lion's Mouth,the first sounds that greeted him were the voices of his friends who hadbeen peering, with blanched cheeks, into the profundities of the Lion'sMouth.
CHAPTER XXXII
A BOLD ROBBERY
It was the day following Jack's stirring adventure, which had left nomore serious consequences to him than bruised hands and knees. He wassitting in the wireless room listening to the uproar outside. For the_Tropic Queen_ was coaling, and the shouts of the negroes and the roarof the coal as it shot into the bunkers filled the air.
Sam was ashore and so was De Garros. They had gone to communicate withthe authorities; but had found the Colonial police not much interested.Jack felt drowsy. It was getting late in the afternoon. Soon the swifttropic dusk would drop like a pall.
To keep awake, he decided to take a turn along the decks. He descendedto the promenade deck and walked briskly up and down.
"Since we don't sail till to-morrow, I guess I'll go ashore thisevening," he decided to himself. "It's too lonesome on board.Everybody's gone ashore for that big ball at the hotel to-night."
But he decided to wait for the return of Sam and De Garros beforeleaving. It grew dark, and they had not come back. Jack was about toscribble a note and leave it in the wireless room, explaining that hehad tired of waiting and gone ashore, when a roughly dressed man brushedby.
It was too dark to see the fellow's face, but he appeared to be asailor. Jack thought little more of the incident and went to his room tochange his uniform for street garments. He was descending the stairsagain to the main deck, bound for the gang-plank, when he was startledby a sudden sound.
It was the dull booming noise of an explosion, and it appeared to comefrom some place on board the ship.
For a minute or two he stood still, trying to locate the sound. As hestood at pause, a figure darted from the purser's room. It was that ofthe roughly dressed sailor who had shoved past the boy a short timebefore. From the purser's room there rolled a dense cloud of smoke. Itreeked of dynamite.
Jack flashed along the deck. There was a light inside the office of theship's bookkeeper and cashier--which is what a purser amounts to, besidesbeing a banker and money changer.
The boy saw in an instant what had happened.
The safe had been dynamited. Its door hung by one hinge. The air wasfull of smoke and the acrid reek of the explosive.
Jack knew that large sums of money and jewelry were frequently in thesafe, and no doubt the bold thief had made off with an armful of loot.He wasted no more time investigating, but at top speed dashed for thegangway.
On the deck two big arc-lights shimmered whitely. Under their glare hesaw a darting figure making for the shore end of the dock. He noticedthat the man was heavily bearded and wore the rough clothes of asea-faring man.
"Stop thief! Stop!" shouted the boy; but the man kept right on with hishead down, clutching something that he had concealed in his loosesailor's blouse.
There was an old watchman at the gates of the dock. He put out a feeblearm to stop the marauder, but a terrific blow in the face knocked himoff his feet.
The man darted on. Jack was close on his heels. They passed through thegate with only a few feet separating them.
A hack, apparently stationed there in preparation for the flight, waswaiting. The black-bearded man leaped into it. But, by providentialluck, another night-prowling rig came along at just that moment, itsdriver nodding sleepily.
As the first rig dashed off, rattling loudly over the rough street, Jackleaped to the front seat of the second, beside the astonished driver.
He seized the reins from the man and brought down the whip on thehorse's back with a crack that made the animal jump. It leaped forwardwith a jerk that seemed as if it would disrupt the crazy harness.
The man began to yell with dismay. But Jack quickly checked him.
"It's all right. You'll be well paid for this. That man in the hackahead of us is a thief."
"Gelagoodness, Busha, I t'ink you was de thief, when you come leapingboard mah cab de way you do."
The man was reassured by Jack's frankness, however, and they flew downthe street at top speed after the other cab. The way lay along thedeserted water-front, by coal docks, warehouses and gaunt travelingcranes. There were few lights and the road was rough and uneven. The oldhack jumped and bounced about like a ship at sea.
Suddenly something happened to the cab in front. One of its wheelscaught in a rut as it was passing a dock. The wrench proved too much forthe rickety old contraption, and the wheel went spinning off its snappedaxle, while the black-bearded occupant was flung into the road like as
tone from a catapult.
He lay still a moment while the driver of the wrecked vehicle in vaintried to stop his horse. Sagging to one side on its broken axle, thehack vanished in the distance with its runaway steed's legs working likepiston rods.
Jack was out of the following rig in a flash. He rushed up to theblack-bearded man's side just as the other rose to his feet.
It was not till that moment that Jack recollected that he had no weaponwith him.
CHAPTER XXXIII
JARROLD AGAIN
By the light of an arc-lamp some distance off, Jack could catch thedangerous gleam in the black-bearded man's eyes. It was no time for halfmeasures. The boy leaped straight at the other, who, entirely taken offhis guard by the sudden onslaught, was borne backward and fell in a heapon the stones.
The negro who had driven Jack, scared out of his senses by the sight ofthe struggle, whipped up his horse and drove off. Jack was left alonewith his antagonist, whom he soon found out was no despicable foe.
He struggled free from Jack's grip with the agility of an eel. He foundhis feet and reached back into his pocket. For an instant Jack thoughtthe other was drawing a pistol. But it was a whistle that he produced.
He placed it to his lips. Jack, guessing that it was for the purpose ofsummoning aid that the thief was about to blow it, jumped forward totear it from his grasp. But in his excitement instead of seizing thewhistle he seized the man's beard.
It came off in his grasp and--James Jarrold stood before him!
For a second Jack's astonishment was so great that he stood perfectlystill, as if carved from stone. That atom of time was enough for thedisclosed Jarrold. He blew two shrill blasts on the whistle. Fromsomewhere they were answered. Down the dock came a swift pattering offeet.
At almost the same instant, Jarrold recognized Jack, as the boy's face,for the first time, came into the light.
"So it's you, is it?" he roared, with an oath. "You escaped from theLion's Mouth! Well, there's no escape for you now. Here come my men andthis time I'll put you where you'll be out of harm's way for good."
At the same moment several men, among them Cummings, came running at topspeed toward them.
Jack was no coward. But he was also no fool. There were six against himin that lonely part of the dock section of Kingston. If he stood hisground he would not have a chance. As Jarrold leaped toward him, heturned swiftly and darted off.
Bang!
Jarrold had drawn a pistol and was sending bullets after him. Up a darkalley Jack dodged, while behind him he could hear the rush of feetpursuing.
"Goodness, if they ever get me, it's all off!" gasped the boy.
He darted out of the alley he had been following, doubled up another andheard the rush of feet growing fainter. At last they died outaltogether. Apparently his pursuers had given up the chase.
Utterly winded, he leaned against a blank wall to recover his breath. Hehad no idea what part of the town he was in, but it appeared to be inthe native quarter. From the opposite direction he heard menapproaching.
By a street lamp he saw that they were two blacks. Both carried bundles.From their dress and walk they appeared to be stokers or firemen on somesteamer. Jack stepped up to them and asked them the way to the hotel.
They stared at him a minute, and then one of them said:
"Lawd, boss, we dunno no mo' 'bout Kingston 'an you do. We's UnitedStates niggers, we is. Not dis Wes' Injun trash. We b'long on de_'Dimyun_."
Jack gasped.
"On the _Endymion_?"
"Yes, boss, reckon dat am de name, come ter fink ob it."
"The _Endymion_ is docked here, then?"
"She sho' is, boss, but she won' be long. We's got orders to git awiggle on. She's gwine to sail right away. Come on, Jake, we ain't gotno license ter be talkin' here. We's likely to miss de ship."
"One question more!" cried Jack, as the men hurried off. "When did theship dock?"
"Night befo' de day befo' yisterday," said Jake.
"Do you know the name of her wireless operator?"
"Ah dunno. Fink it's Comein or suthin' lak dat. But see here, we allkain't answer no mo' question. Goo' night."
The two negroes hurried off, leaving Jack with swimming senses. So the_Endymion_ was in the harbor! Had docked the night before the _TropicQueen_! It was all plain enough now to the boy. Cummings was herwireless man. That explained his connection with Jarrold. And the yachtwas to sail that night, within a few minutes probably, and Jarrold, indisguise, had blown the _Tropic Queen's_ safe open.
Jack's head buzzed. What was the key to it all? What had Jarrold blownthe safe for just before he was hurrying to sea on his yacht in thisclandestine fashion?
And then, like a bolt of lightning, the explanation struck him.
Colonel Minturn's papers had been placed in the safe while he wasashore!
Jarrold had taken a desperate chance and won out.
In half an hour's time he would be at sea beyond the possibility ofpursuit, for the _Endymion_ was far faster than any craft in thevicinity of Kingston.
CHAPTER XXXIV
BAD NEWS FOR THE COLONEL
The gardens of the hotel were brilliantly lighted, and the coloredlamps, strung among the trees, glowed down on a gay throng, when intothe midst of the merry-makers there burst an odd figure.
It was hatless, its white duck clothes were bedaubed with mud. Few wouldhave recognized in this panting, wild-eyed apparition the usually nattyJack Ready.
But Jack it was. A waiter stretched out an arm to stop him as he dashedinto the garden, but he shoved the man aside with a force that sent himspinning. Men and women stared at the boy as if he were a madman as herushed about, searching frantically for Colonel Minturn.
He found him at last, chatting with a group of ladies and gentlemen.
Despite Jack's condition, the colonel recognized him at once.
"What, my boy, what has happened?" he exclaimed. "You look----"
"Never mind that now, Colonel, please," besought Jack. "I must speak toyou alone at once."
"Certainly," said the military man, realizing that Jack must have someserious news. He excused himself to his friends and stepped aside, whileJack, in a swift, eager, low tone, told him what he feared had occurred.
"Colonel Minturn must have bad news," said one of the ladies of the gayparty with which the colonel had been chatting. "Look, he's as white asa ghost!"
"That scare-crow messenger has brought him some news that has given hima shock evidently," commented one of the men.
But although Jack's message of the probable theft of the Panama papershad shaken the colonel to the fibers of his being, the long training ofa military officer stood him in good stead at that crucial moment. By asupreme effort he steadied his nerves, and in the most casual voice inthe world excused himself to his friends, saying that he would be backbefore long.
"I've a friend here who has a fast auto," he said to Jack, as the twothrust their way through the throng, who gaped at the spectacle of thedistinguished-looking man in evening clothes and his disreputableappearing companion.
"We must get it and work quick," he went on, "there's a chance even yetthat we can stop that yacht."
"If only I hadn't lost my way," said Jack, "we'd have saved a lot ofprecious time."
Colonel Minturn found his friend, and the auto with its chauffeur waswillingly loaned. They jumped into the fast machine and were off, afterColonel Minturn had given directions to drive first to the ship. Theyfound old Schultz guarding the safe. The reek of the explosive was stillheavy in the air.
Utterly regardless of his apparel, Colonel Minturn dived in among theblackened contents. There were packages of money, costly jewels andother valuables, but the most important contents of the safe--the paperswhich the colonel had hoped against hope might have been overlooked bythe thief--were gone.
Despite his stoicism, the colonel could not restrain a groan.
"This means my ruin," he exclaimed. "We must get a boat of som
e kind atonce and give chase."
"There's nothing in this harbor or south of New York that could touchthe _Endymion_ for speed," declared Jack bitterly. "There's only onechance in a thousand of stopping her! Oh, why didn't I think of thatbefore?"
Before the colonel could stop him or ask explanations, the boy rushedoff. He headed straight for the wireless room. Sam was there with DeGarros.
"What in the world----!" began Sam, as the disheveled, wild-eyed boy burstin. But Jack shoved his chum aside without a word and fairly threwhimself at the wireless key.
He was calling the government quarantine station at the tip of PortRoyal and the mouth of Kingston Harbor. There was just one way he couldstop the _Endymion_ and he meant to try it, forlorn hope that it was.
The spark flashed and roared and whined.
Other stations, those on ships far out at sea and along the coast of theisland, broke wonderingly in as the volley of impatient calls wentthundering out into the night.
The sweat poured from Jack's blackened face as he bent over theapparatus in the boiling heat of the tropic night, and worked thewireless as he had never worked it before.
At last he raised the operator at the quarantine station.
"We've shut up shop for the night. What is it?" inquired thatindividual, not best pleased at having his rest disturbed.
"You must stop the _Endymion_," thundered the Hertzian waves; "stop herat all hazards, even if you have to notify the fort to fire upon her."