JARROLD AGAIN
By the light of an arc-lamp some distance off, Jack could catch the
dangerous gleam in the black-bearded man’s eyes. It was no time for half
measures. The boy leaped straight at the other, who, entirely taken off
his guard by the sudden onslaught, was borne backward and fell in a heap
on the stones.
The negro who had driven Jack, scared out of his senses by the sight of
the struggle, whipped up his horse and drove off. Jack was left alone
with his antagonist, whom he soon found out was no despicable foe.
He struggled free from Jack’s grip with the agility of an eel. He found
his feet and reached back into his pocket. For an instant Jack thought
the other was drawing a pistol. But it was a whistle that he produced.
He placed it to his lips. Jack, guessing that it was for the purpose of
summoning aid that the thief was about to blow it, jumped forward to
tear it from his grasp. But in his excitement instead of seizing the
whistle he seized the man’s beard.
It came off in his grasp and—James Jarrold stood before him!
For a second Jack’s astonishment was so great that he stood perfectly
still, as if carved from stone. That atom of time was enough for the
disclosed Jarrold. He blew two shrill blasts on the whistle. From
somewhere they were answered. Down the dock came a swift pattering of
feet.
At almost the same instant, Jarrold recognized Jack, as the boy’s face,
for the first time, came into the light.
“So it’s you, is it?” he roared, with an oath. “You escaped from the
Lion’s Mouth! Well, there’s no escape for you now. Here come my men and
this time I’ll put you where you’ll be out of harm’s way for good.”
At the same moment several men, among them Cummings, came running at top
speed toward them.
Jack was no coward. But he was also no fool. There were six against him
in that lonely part of the dock section of Kingston. If he stood his
ground he would not have a chance. As Jarrold leaped toward him, he
turned swiftly and darted off.
Bang!
Jarrold had drawn a pistol and was sending bullets after him. Up a dark
alley Jack dodged, while behind him he could hear the rush of feet
pursuing.
“Goodness, if they ever get me, it’s all off!” gasped the boy.
He darted out of the alley he had been following, doubled up another and
heard the rush of feet growing fainter. At last they died out
altogether. Apparently his pursuers had given up the chase.
Utterly winded, he leaned against a blank wall to recover his breath. He
had no idea what part of the town he was in, but it appeared to be in
the native quarter. From the opposite direction he heard men
approaching.
By a street lamp he saw that they were two blacks. Both carried bundles.
From their dress and walk they appeared to be stokers or firemen on some
steamer. Jack stepped up to them and asked them the way to the hotel.
They stared at him a minute, and then one of them said:
“Lawd, boss, we dunno no mo’ ’bout Kingston ’an you do. We’s United
States niggers, we is. Not dis Wes’ Injun trash. We b’long on de
_’Dimyun_.”
Jack gasped.
“On the _Endymion_?”
“Yes, boss, reckon dat am de name, come ter fink ob it.”
“The _Endymion_ is docked here, then?”
“She sho’ is, boss, but she won’ be long. We’s got orders to git a
wiggle on. She’s gwine to sail right away. Come on, Jake, we ain’t got
no license ter be talkin’ here. We’s likely to miss de ship.”
“One question more!” cried Jack, as the men hurried off. “When did the
ship dock?”
“Night befo’ de day befo’ yisterday,” said Jake.
“Do you know the name of her wireless operator?”
“Ah dunno. Fink it’s Comein or suthin’ lak dat. But see here, we all
kain’t answer no mo’ question. Goo’ night.”
The two negroes hurried off, leaving Jack with swimming senses. So the
_Endymion_ was in the harbor! Had docked the night before the _Tropic
Queen_! It was all plain enough now to the boy. Cummings was her
wireless man. That explained his connection with Jarrold. And the yacht
was to sail that night, within a few minutes probably, and Jarrold, in
disguise, had blown the _Tropic Queen’s_ safe open.
Jack’s head buzzed. What was the key to it all? What had Jarrold blown
the safe for just before he was hurrying to sea on his yacht in this
clandestine fashion?
And then, like a bolt of lightning, the explanation struck him.
Colonel Minturn’s papers had been placed in the safe while he was
ashore!
Jarrold had taken a desperate chance and won out.
In half an hour’s time he would be at sea beyond the possibility of
pursuit, for the _Endymion_ was far faster than any craft in the
vicinity of Kingston.