Evening star., 1924-12-25
The Ark of the Covenant
A Story of Mystery and Adventure
BY VICTOR MCCLURE.
by 4 Bphers
BY VICTOR MdcCLUH
Copyright. 1924, by Harper + Brother

|
| one that can be thrashed out after
| dinner"
Let me accept 1t as threshed out, ;,
said l.. Where do you, Lord Almeric
| and dad come into it?''
| "On the money side" said the old
| man. There's lots OF them that
would like to fight, but they can't do
it without money. And there are
numbers of people asking for, loans
at the moment, ostensibly for de-
velopment work. We have to go very
carefully. Lord Almeric's mission in
America has been for the formation
of an understanding between Britain
| and our people as to how far we may
go in this or that direction In our
discussions - between an Americn
| group of financial firms and banks
and an English group, as represented
by Lord Almeric--we have come upon
| a new situation that may well upset
| the whole arrangement. 1t may lead
us into a big war, nominally through
one with Japan"
Good Lord
Now, Lord Almeric has to 60 to
London in quick time to put the case
before his people. There can be nc
question OF cabling 1t. We did not
want you to work in the dark"
| II don't mind working in the dark
dad. You want me to get Lord AL
meric to England?"
you've got 1t, Jimmy l have
pledged Lord Almerio my word tina,
you will get him to London by some
means or other by. Saturday"
| Il wondered II You could put me
| aboard some ship reaching South
ampton on Friday morning" said
Lord Almeric. II am ashamed To
| throw myself into your hands SO
helplessly-but your father insisted
Dad was quite right. Lord AL
| meric," said /. You'd be leaning on
a broken reed to try the Transat-
| lantic Aviation. Their weekly plane
doesn't leave until Friday midnight
and II would be the early hours OF
Sunday morning before you reached
London, Clumsy brute!-for all its
| four engfnes"
Il thought perhaps you could over
| take the Thessallic or the Purthalfa," ="
| said his lordshfp.
Let mo see" I searched for a
shipping list
The Thessalic sailed on Friday
night and Is due to reach Southamp-
ton next Friday morning. The Pur-
| thalia left last night, Sunday, and
reaches Southampton next Sunday
| morning. so she washes out.
Suppose We started tomorrow.
The Thessalic viii be over three
days out, more when we reach her
| Lord! She'll be well over 5000 kilo-
| meters out when we overtake her!
| might as well fly you all the way
sir"
But surely that would be unnec-
essary-I could not think
| Don't you see, sir? The whole
distance Is under 5000 kilometers.
| should have to fly about 1000 on the
| double journey to the ship and back
I had better fly you the whole way
1t will give me time to put the Mer-
lin in nrst-class order. anyhow. II
have to ship new tanks for extra oil
| and gasoline"
will the Merlin do it7" the ole
| man asked.
you bet you, dad. In 13 hours. We
leave here on Thursday evening be.
fore dinner, and we reach Batterses
| airdrome at ! o'clock on Friday, al
lowing for the difference in time
How will that do. Lord Almeric?"
| "Splendid! I cannot find words t
thank you, Jimmy-or you, Boon--yol
overwhelm mo with kindness-
| I'VE won't say anything abou
we, SOM"
"Sursly not" said I. It'll be glat
| to give the Merlin such a good test
All you have to do. Lord Almeric, II
| to regard yourself as so much make
weight cargo"
Heaven forbid" Lord Almeri
laughed. you might find 1t neces
sary to jettison me-"
| "Fd jettison the Merlin first"
blundered, reddening at my apparen
rudeness to a man SO courteous.
Lord Almeric- THE sea police Nigh
arrest us in midair for having NJ
visible means Of support"
He put an arm on my shoulder ant
we went to the billiard room, wher,
his lordship conscientiously collected
| q nice selection of the Boon dollar
by thoroughly beating my dad ant
| me at pool and smoker. went [,
bed early. for 1 intended to get SOM
/ work done before breakfast. and lef
my elders trying trick shots.
| when my father came into my room
"Hullo, dad!" said. What's th
matter?"
| Nothing much-just wanted to sa.
good night, son."
Good night, dad
You know, Jimmy" he said slowly
I'm tickled to death with my owl
son-
That's funny. dad" I sat up to say
II was Just thinking was sort o
proud Of my own father"
"Ohw said he. "Well-sood night
Jimmy"
i Good night, dad"
The next two days were spent Fl
fixing the engines in the new Merlin
and in tests. MilIiken and / were II
the air 4 good deal. trying all sort
Of fool tricks to prove the design n
good. but we could fnd no fault Il
1t. We had q winner, all right
In tho meantime, the old Merlil
was being tuned up-not that sh
needed much tuninE-and tho worl
Of putting in the extra tanks 70
the Atlantic flight went ahead.
Lord Almeric's luggage was brough
over BY Didcot on the Seven, an,
everything was put in order w
rigged up q pair Of collapsible bunk
from the side walls Of tho cabin, B.
that our passenger could sleep IL h
wanted to, and 50 that Milliken an,
I could lie down in our Off spell
Then we had q little vacuum box 70
hot food, and everything necessar.
for feeding in comfort.
At o'clock on the Thursday eve
ming we said goodbye to my fathe
and Dan Lamont, who had come owe
Il to see US OF, and to a great "Rah
rahr from the staff Of the workshop
we SHIT OF across the bay, the Mer
r,,f atlu olr tn into Iz~