The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1907-02-16
CHAPTER VI.

CHAPTER VI.
We caught the first train to London.
When got to hotel wrote two letters.
One was to the Admiralty, the other to
the office of the Black Anchor Line of
American Steamships. l told Roderick
what l had done, but he laughed at the
idea. The next day found myself stand
ing in a meagerly furnished anteroom at
the Admiralty, and there waiting the
pleasure of one of the clerks, who had
ben deputed to talk with me.
IF there is any responsible person
here" I said, II should be glad to impart
to him some very curious, and, as it seems
to me, very remarkable information con-
corning a warship which has just left
Spezia, and is supposed to be the property
Of the Brazilian government"
Its very good of you, don't you know
he replied, as he bent down to arrange
his ample trousers but fancy we heard
something about her last week, SO we
won't trouble you, don't you know" and
he felt to see if his bow were straight.
Within half an hour I sat in the pri
vate room of the secretary to the Black
Anchor Steamship Company. He was a
sharp man of business, keen-visaged as a
ferret. l told him shortly that l had
reason to doubt the truth of the statement
that warship recently built at Spezia
was intended for the purposes set down
to her; that / believed she was the prop
erty OF an American adventurer whose
motives l scarce dared to realize, and that
| If his company would agree to bear the
expense, and to give me suitable recon-
pense would undertake to bring him the
whole history of the nameless ship within
twelve months. When l had done, he
rang the bell for his clerk, and l could see
that he felt himself in the company of a
maniac.
| Roderick was not at all surprised-it
seemed to me rather that he was glad.
"Whatdid l tell you? Who will believe
such a tale as we are hawking in the
market place-selling, in fact, to the high
est bidder? But I believe the whole of
your dead friends story, and therefore l
have bought steamer"
you have done what?"
"At o'clock to-day, in your absence, 1
bought the steam yacht Rocket. Before
we go on board her, the yacht Will be re-
christened by Mary-who will stay with
her dear maiden aunt in our absence
and will be named after your vessel Celsis
Her crew will consist of our silent friend
Captain York, of his brother as chief
mate, and of your men now at Ports.
mouth, with half dozen more. We shall
need eight firemen, whom the agents will
engage, and three engineers, already
found. Your cook will serve us very we'll
and we want now only a second and thirG
officer. As these men will be mixed uI
with us on the quarterback, have tolt
the agents to send them up to see YOU
here-so you'll run your eye over then
and tell me IL they'll do"
Frederick, my old friend, would yor
mind giving me that yarn from the be
ginning againw
II hate palaver," he said, land didn'
think to find you dense. Now, look here
until you read me that paper in your cab
In, l don't know that l ever felt anger
against any man, but I'll bring the mar
who murdered Martin Hall and many
others to justice or III never know an
other hours rest. Is 1t money you want
Well, what's mine is yours; and In
worth two hundred and fifty Thousand
pounds. Is it profit of dead mans worl
you're after? Well then, mark your man
-
and don't fear to recompense yourself
What we're going to do must be done a
our cost, which rs my cost. And wha
we're going to do isn't to be done at thi,
hotel; it's going to be done on the higl
seas, and after that in America on tn,
Hudson river. where, IL Hall be right, Il
the home of Captain Black. 1t Is to tn,
Hudson river that l mean to go now"
In an hour was closeted in the room
below with Francis Paolo, who had com,
from the agents to seek the berth of sec
ond officer to the new yacht Celsis.
found him to be a sprightly, dark face,
italian. apparently no more than % year
old and he greeted me with much smooth
ness Of speech. He had served three year
on big steam yacht, and as he was un
mistakably gentleman and his discharges
were in perfect order, engaged him Their,
and then. Had l known him then as
know him now, would have paid thou
sand pounds never to have seen him!
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