WHAT SAM HEARD
Jack looked the astonishment he felt. While he had sensed something of
sinister import about Jarrold right along, still he had never guessed
the man could merit such a sweeping description of bad character.
“The most dangerous rascal in existence,” he repeated.
“Yes, I called him that and I mean it,” was the reply. “What he is doing
on this boat, I don’t know. But I have a guess and am prepared for him.”
He drew from his hip pocket a wicked looking automatic.
“Is it as bad as that?” asked Jack.
“I don’t know. But, at any rate, I am prepared. Jarrold has been mixed
up in desperate enterprises in a score of countries. He is a diplomatic
free lance of the worst character. It was Jarrold who stole the
documents relating to the Russian navy, which it cost that country so
much time and trouble to recover before they found their way into the
hands of another power.”
“And the young lady—his niece?”
“She has been implicated in most of his plots. They are a dangerous
pair. You will do me and the government a great favor by keeping an eye
on them. You will be able to do this, as I understand they are trying
hard to establish communication with a yacht called the _Endymion_.”
“Yes; both the man and the girl appear very anxious to do that,”
rejoined Jack.
“Jarrold has the stateroom next to mine. In my possession are documents
that would be of immense value to a certain far eastern power that
wishes the United States no good.”
“You think that Jarrold is after these?” asked Jack.
“It is the only supposition I can go upon. That cipher message from the
government warned me to be careful of the man, as his errand had been
surmised by the Secret Service men. They also found out about the
_Endymion_, which fact I did not know before.”
“And he is, apparently, an American, too,” exclaimed Jack.
The colonel nodded.
“Yes, he is a westerner by birth, I believe, but that makes little
difference to men of his type. The only country they know is the one
that gives the biggest price for their rascalities.”
“He ought to be shot for trying to betray the country he owes his birth
to,” said Jack hotly.
The colonel smiled and laid a hand on the excited lad’s shoulder.
“You feel about it as I do, lad,” he said. “But remember we have nothing
to go upon as yet. Absolutely nothing.”
Jack agreed that this was so, and after some more conversation, the
colonel left the wireless room, first warning the young operator that
their talk must be held absolutely confidential.
Of course Jack promised this, and so did Sam. But both lads felt that
they were playing parts in a big game, the nature of which was an
absolute mystery so far.
“It’s like sitting on a keg of dynamite,” said Sam.
“Yes; I have a feeling that there is something electrical in the air,”
said Jack, “besides wireless waves. It may break at any minute, too.”
“If it does, I hope we get a chance to help out the colonel.”
“Yes, he is a fine man, a splendid type of soldier. I don’t wonder the
government chose him for this Panama errand.”
“It’s a mighty responsible job,” agreed Sam.
“And particularly when such a clever rascal as Jarrold, with unlimited
power at his back, is hanging about.”
But then it was dinner time, and Sam, whom even the most engrossing
conversation could not keep from his meals, hastened below. When he came
back, he had an important look on his face.
“I stopped on deck for a breath of fresh air,” he said, “and stood out
of the wind behind a big ventilator. Jarrold and his niece came along.”
“Didn’t they see you?”
“No; they were talking too earnestly; besides, the ventilator hid me,
anyhow.”
“Did you hear what they said?”
“I couldn’t catch much of it.”
“Well, let’s hear what you were able to pick up.”
“Well, the man appeared to be urging something that the girl objected
to. ‘I tell you it is too dangerous,’ I heard her say.
“Then the man, in a rough voice, told her she was a foolish woman and
that he was going ‘to do it to-night at all costs.’
“‘You may ruin everything,’ she said, but he only laughed and said that
if he failed this time, he would succeed later on, anyway.”
“Hum, that’s a mighty interesting scrap of conversation,” mused Jack, “I
wonder what the old fox is up to now.”
“Maybe we’d better inform the colonel,” suggested Sam.
“Hardly. Not with the meager information we’ve got. He would only laugh
at us. No, we’ll have to wait and see what the event will be. But depend
upon it, there is something in the wind.”
Jack was right. What that something was, he was not to learn till later,
but it was far more startling and was to involve him more deeply than he
imagined.