Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-10-24
Copyright, 1900, by r. F. Fenno & CO
CHAPTER VII.
AT THE ADMIRALTY AND LLoYDs

AT THE ADMIRALTY AND
Sir Charles Collingham lived out
Kensington way In q new red house on
Campden hill got there In less than
half an hour. for my carriage was at
the door. and. although knew some
thing of his ways from Willie Wood.
hoped to catch him before he left home.
1t was not yet 10 a. m. He was out
already on his bicycle when arrived,
hut he came up. fortunately. just as
was asking for him.
'Come for news or brought some.
hey. Miss Fairholme? If it's the first, l
can't help you-worse luck; If the 9th
Grand. egad. by the look on your bon
ME face | believe you've something to
tell! Is that 1t? Haw He hoped of
his bike" with all the alacrity Of
young man and led the way into the
house.
Surprising chap. that American"
he cried in his brisk. abrupt tones. 81
suppose we're bound to believe him.
Actually did break In and all that, hey?
Anyhow. he's forwarder than we are,
for I've been down to Cla:yes street to
inquire II Master Wood had turned up
and drew blank. of course"
"Oh. but. Sir Charles. how could he?"
! said quickly "And ought we to be
talking. wasting time here? He has
been kidnapped. as you see. Surely 1t
is our business to follow up this clcw
without a moments loss Of time. He
must be rescued. recovered"
'And the papers-they will have car
ried off the papers with them, you may
depend upon that. By the Lord Harry.
you are right! But how. how In heav-
ems name-how are we to overhaul
that yacht? do not see my way"
by following In another, to be sure.
l will pay anything. Only do. please,
let US lose no more time. Could not
we get man-of-war"
by Jove, you're right! If we could
have fast cruiser now. Upon my
soul. | believe 1t might be done! II 1
could only persuade them at the admi-
ralty. It's an affair Of national I'M
portance to recover those papers"
We drove straight to the admiralty
in Whitehall, where the general was
admitted without question or delay.
We were soon introduced to Captain
Pulteney, who proved to be naval Sec
retary to the first lord and a very
charming man, dare say, but l took
q great dislike to him, for he began at
once to make difficulties. speaking, l
thought, In a sneery, put you down
sort of way which was very irritating.
"What could we send? There isn't
q Ship" he said, addressing the others,
and seeming to imply that the whole
British navy had ceased to exist. BE
sides, IL I could lay hands on gun
boat or dispatch vessel, what course
would she steer? What Is she to look
for? The whole thing Is a wild goose
chase. I'm dead against 1t"
II think We'll see Sir George" re-
marked my dear general stif1y. 1--WE
can discuss these points better with
him." and we again moved on, Cap
tain Pulteney following, grumbling
and growing all the way.
But Sir George Fitz Hugh Che was
the first sea lor6 sided with Captain
Pulteney. The information was too
vague; nothing was positively known,
neither about the papers nor about
Captain Wood.
"You see, Sir Charles, you have moth
ing to 90 on about those papers, were
they stolen, seized, whatever we
may call it. Who can be certain of
that, or Of anything. except that they
have disappeared, as Wood has? And
you infer that the same people have
taken them both. How do we know
that? You take too much for granted.
Or, let US admit they were taken, how
do we know that they were put on
board the yacht? 1t is all pure con-
lecture. I should be very sorry to
act-to take upon myself to act; we
must wait for the first lord"
"When do you expect him" l asked
impatiently. was getting cross at all
these difficulties and delays, and
could see that Sir Charles Collingham
was dangerously near losing his tenn
per. He only controlled himself by re-
naming stolidly silent.
"He is always here in the afternoon;
takes the Office on his way to the
house. You might see him. then. Sir
Charles. If 30 minded" said the naval
secretary.
"The afternoon! Probably four good
hours hence. Absurd" ! cried hotly
"when every moment Is precious
Why, this pirate yacht has already
had "a hours start. Oh. come. Sil
Charles! Let us 20 somewhere else
There are other ships besides warships
steamers, yachts in dozens. for hire
Why do you hesitate? VIII no one
help meT'
asked this possibly with some
warmth. for I heard some one say as
we went off. Sir Charles and |:
my word. what little fury!"
From Whitehall the general took me
to Lloyds. He knew the secretary. he
said, and something of the ways Of the
place-its wonderful organization and
the vast machinery at its command fol-
knowing all about ships, almost from
hour to hour. But the secretary. a
grave gentleman. with sly twinkle In
his eye, shook his head very doubtfully
when he heard the whole story.
II fear we shall not be able to lay
our hands upon that yacht-at least
for some time to come-if she wishes
to keep out Of the way. We can track
her down the river. Of course. as far
as Southend on one side, the North
Foreland on the other. But If after