The Detroit times., 1908-05-20
CHAPTER xtp5-teoutinueda

CHAPTER -HtST-teoutiuuedf
~1TRoNG cast aside his mock
M heroics aud became earnest.
81 Listen. old chap" he said
III sitting down beside Belling'
ham again, TO what have 10
say. and Try 10 keep that sleek anu
lazy head OF yours awake While ! tel
you what's afoot.
How many more times" he said,
apparently 10 Arbuthnot. shall
have 10 recite the wondrous tale OF
when | am the noble hero? | VIII
do il once more for Bellinghams sake
hut after that | will leave the nara
tive 10 YOU"
He turned again TO Bellingham and
began rapidly 10 recount the proceed
ings OF the past three days.
Bellingham listened with an almost
vapid smile. Once he was sufficiently
startled 10 nearly lose his eyeglass'
but he restrained the inclination 10
raise his eyebrows. and retained his
monocle.
When Strong had concluded his
tale points OF which he emphasized by
banging his fists on the yeranda steps,
Bellingham turned to~him with a
bland countenance.
Hang ii. Ahe said. Il might have
been shot in my little bed.
There was not much fear OF that
old fellow. said Strong, 'or | would
not have left you here. There's much
more likely to be d rumpus tonight
However,. you will have Arbuthnot for
companion. and II you want 10 fly
there is the car"
What about food?" asked Boiling
ham. Il ann dashed hungry. you
know"
Hang on bit longer said
Strong. while Arbuthnot torages in
MaldenEead He has got 10 drive me
there TO the station, because am on "a
town. Now you quite understand that
YOU fellows have got TO wait here TIL
! send you "A wire. unless you are com
PEELED 10 clear on?
Bellingham nodded Anything t.
please you.j he said; but hurry w
with some grub
Bless you. nay child, said Strong
laughing. and he laid his great brown
hand on the sleek head. Then he
called 10 Arbuthnot. and together they
walked 10 the car.
When they reached the station
Strong found that. as luck would have
it be had only five minutes IN when
TO wait for q train. Arbuthnot went
on 10 the platform with him and TO-
gether they walked 10 the far end OF IL
Look here, old man, said Arbuth'
not. YOU know perfectly we'll | will
do ANYTHING you ask, but ii your aer'
onautic majesty will kindly vouehsafe
10 tell me when you propose 70 return
either here or 10 Oxford | should be
infinitely obliged
That" said Strong. lis precisely
what cannot tell you. | have no
idea whether shall manage 10 get
back here or whether I shall go &C
Oxford direct. In any case. do no.
wait after o'clock tomorrow morn
ing. In the meantime. go through the
whole place and collect every scraE
OF paper. Remember 10 look fo'
I.angleys drawings and specifications
They are the things | must not miss
Then ON the top shelf over his bottles
YOU Will find four little continuance,
that look rainier LIKE illiS- -pHoIi'
graphs Whatever you do. do not for
get them
THAT is another OF his patent in
ventions which is Just as wonderful
as the airship and If we lose it We
may be landed in a deuce OF hole.
rs that all?" asked Arbuthnot. {
trihe ironically.
But Strong was in too earnest {
mood TO perceive the irony. Yes
that Is all " he said, except 10 be
as cheerful as YOU can in my absence
And for heavens sake take poor Bel
iingham back some food
The train came roaring into the sta
ton. and Strong babe good-by To Ar
buthnot II do not see you al th'
bungalow he called from the window
as the train moved ont again Il vii
see you al oxford later. So long
so long" called Arbuthnot An'
thus the Man Who Stole the Eartl
and his aide.de-camp parted for
I while.
The first thing Strong did as tn