The Jersey City news., 1902-11-12
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: GIRL s:
5 OF GRIT. !
: BY MAJOR ARTHUR GRIFFITHS. Z
Q Copyright, 1900, by r. y. Fsfno d Co. 1 9
900 OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES oH~o on<
IcoNTINuED.2

kensington way In 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,
but he came up. fortunately, just as
was asking for him.
"Come for news or brought some,
hey, Miss Fairholme? If it's the first. |
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 it? Hap' He hoped off
his bike" with all the alacrity of q
young man and led the way into the
house.
Surprising chap. that Americana
he cried in his brisk, abrupt tones. II
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 Charges street to
inquire il 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 it
is our business to follow up this clew
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? l 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! II we could
have a fast cruiser now. Upon my
soul, believe it might be done! If 1
could only persuade them at the admi-
rally It's an affair of national im-
portance to recover those papers"
We drove straight to the admiralty
in Whitehall, where the genera, was
admitted without question or dsiay.
Pultenay, who proved to be nagal sec
retary to the first lord and a very
charming man, l dare say, but took
a great dislike to him, for he began at
once to make difficulties, speaking,
thought, in 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, if 1 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 it."
81 think we'll see Sir George" re-
marked my dear general stiffly. eve
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 lord) 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 go 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. should be very sorry to
act--to take upon myself to act; we
must wait for the first lord"
when do you expect him?" I asked
impatiently. was getting cross at all
these difficulties and delays, and I
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, IL so minded" said the naval
secretary.
"The afternoon! Probably four good
hours hence. Absurdv' / cried hotly.
"when every moment Is precious.
Why, this pirate yacht has already
had "a hours start. Oh, come, SiI
Charles! Let US so somewhere else.
There are other ships besides warships
steamers, yachts in dozens. for hire.
Why do you hesitate? VIII no one
help me-?
1 asked this possibly with some
warmth. for heard some one say as
we went off. Sir Charles and 1:
''My word what little furyv'
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 Mt its command for
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-lf she wishes
to Keep out of the way. We can track
her down the river, Of course. as fai
~ saathand on one aide. the North