THE ROVER BOYS IN SEATTLE
Sam and Dick looked at each other in new alarm. They remembered only
too well what had occurred at Hiram Duff's cottage. Was it possible
that Tom had seen the lady's jewels and taken them? In his unbalanced
state of mind he was liable to do anything.
"She had the jewels in her handbag?" questioned Dick.
"Yes, a little black affair--so she told the conductor. When she
discovered that it was gone she was almost crazy. She said some of the
jewelry belonged to her mother, who was with her."
"Was this in your car?"
"Yes, up at the other end from where I sat, though." And the
commercial drummer grinned. "Oh, I had nothing to do with it," he
added, lightly.
"I didn't suppose you had," returned Dick. "But where was this other
fellow--the one I think was my brother--at this time?"
"Why, he sat up near the other end, too--about two seats from the lady.
He said, the same as did everybody on the car, that he hadn't seen the
bag or the jewels. The conductor and the porter made a long search,
but nothing came of it. The lady was wild, and said she would get her
husband to sue the company for her loss. She had the conductor
worried, I can tell you."
"And that's why he lost interest in helping us," murmured Dick. "He
certainly had his hands full, with that train breakdown and the missing
jewels, and looking for Tom."
"Who sat next to the lady?" asked Sam.
"Her mother, a very old woman."
"And was that young man we mentioned next?"
"Yes."
"Couldn't they find any trace of the bag at all?"
"Not a thing. It was mighty queer, and the woman made it worse by
being so excited. She could hardly tell when she had seen the bag
last, or where. First she said she had had it in her lap and then she
said she guessed she had put it on a hook with her coat."
"What did they do about it?"
"I don't know, for I got off here, while the lady and her mother went
through to Seattle," answered the drummer.
The commercial man could tell but little more of importance to the
Rovers, and presently, when his companion came with the sample cases,
he went away.
"Dick, do you think Tom took that lady's handbag with the jewels?"
asked Sam, when the two were by themselves.
"Sam, I don't know what to think," was the discouraging reply. "I only
know one thing--the quicker we locate Tom and put him in some safe
place, the better."
"Do you--you think his mind is affected for good--I mean for always?"
"Let us hope not. Why, it would be terrible to have to keep him in an
asylum for the rest of his life! It would just about kill father. And
think of Nellie."
"It certainly is the worst thing that ever happened!" muttered Sam.
"It's worse than our trouble with Dan Baxter, Lew Flapp, or with Sobber
and those brokers, and old Crabtree."
"So it is."
When the train for Seattle finally came in they got abroad. It was so
crowded that they had to take seats in a day coach. But this they did
not mind. They would have ridden on a freight train, could they have
gotten to Seattle faster thereby.
Hour after hour passed slowly. The boys could not settle down to read,
and they had little appetite for their meals. They caught a little
sleep in their seats, and were ready to leave the train the moment the
conductor called out that they were approaching Seattle.
"I see Jim Hendricks!" cried Sam, as he looked out of a window.
"Is Tom with him?" queried his brother.
"No, he is alone."
In a minute more they were out of the train, suitcases in hand, and
shaking hands with the cousin of Stanley and Larry. Jim Hendricks'
usually jolly face showed his deep concern.
"I've got bad news for you," he said. "That train Tom was on got here
before I did, and so I didn't have a chance to stop him. I've been
making some inquiries though, and I am pretty certain he reached this
place. One man who was on the train told me he had met a young fellow
who said he was bound for Alaska to find some nuggets of gold. He
wanted to know about the ships that sailed for Sitka and Juneau, and
the man told him what he knew. He said the young fellow went off in
the direction of the shipping offices."
"Oh, Dick! we must get after him at once!" cried Sam.
"That's it, Sam." Dick turned to Jim Hendricks. "Will you show us
where they are? We can go in a taxicab."
"I've got our auto outside--we can go in that, and you may as well
bring your baggage along," continued the Seattle young man. "If you
have to remain in town, I want you to stay at our house."
"Thanks, that's kind of you," answered Dick.
Jim led the way outside, to where stood a handsome six-cylinder touring
car. "I don't know when the steamers sail, but we can soon find out,"
he said, and directed the chauffeur where to go.
They were soon passing through the streets of Seattle, a well-built up
city where much business is done. As many of my young readers must
know, Seattle is located on Puget Sound, one of the great natural
gateways to the Pacific Ocean. Just south of it is Tacoma, also a city
of importance.
The ride to the first of the shipping offices did not take long, and
going inside Dick made some inquiries of the clerk at the desk.
"Don't remember any such man," said the clerk.
"When is your next sailing?"
"Day after to-morrow. Want to book for the passage?"
"Perhaps. I don't know yet."
"Better make up your mind pretty quick. We have only a few berths
left," went on the clerk.
"We are looking for a certain young man who was bound for Alaska," went
on Dick, producing Tom's photograph. "Have you seen anything of him?"
The clerk gave a glance at the photograph and started.
"Well, that's strange!" tie cried.
"You saw him?" put in Sam, eagerly.
"I sure did. Did you want to meet him?"
"Very much."
"Well, I'm sorry, but I don't see how you are going to do it. His name
was, let me see--Haverlock, I believe."
"That's the name he was traveling under," answered Dick, giving his
brother a nudge in the ribs.
"Wasn't his own then?" and the clerk became interested.
"No, it's an assumed name. I might as well tell you, the young man
isn't all here," and Dick touched his forehead.
"I thought that might be it--he acted so queerly. But he got his
ticket for the other boat. You see it was this way: He came in here
just as I was talking to a man who had purchased a ticket for the other
boat and wanted to stay in Seattle another week. The man wanted me to
exchange the ticket or give him his money back. While we were
discussing the matter, this Haverlock, or whatever his name is, came
in. He listened for a minute and then said he'd take the ticket and
glad of the chance, for he said he was in a mighty hurry to get some
nuggets of gold. So the man transferred the ticket to him, and that
was the last I saw of the young fellow."
"When did that other boat sail?" asked Sam.
"Last night, at nine o'clock."
"Last night!" cried Dick. "Then he certainly must have rushed
matters!" He looked at Jim Hendricks. "What can we do next, do you
suppose?"
"You might send a wireless to the steamship," was the suggestion. "If
he's under the name of Haverlock they ought to be able to hold him.
Where did the steamer sail for?" Jim went on, to the clerk.
"For Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and all the regular ports."
"She carries a wireless?" asked Sam.
"Certainly. You can send a message from here if you wish. We can
telephone it over to the wireless station."
"Let's do it!" burst out Sam. "The quicker somebody takes charge of
poor Tom the better!"
"You're right," answered Dick. He wiped his forehead with his
handkerchief. "What a pity we didn't get here sooner, or that Tom
wasn't delayed!"
Then he and Sam got a blank and started to write out the wireless
message that might put those on board the steamer on the track of Tom.