THE MAN OF MYSTERY AGAIN
"Well, boys," said Mr. Temple at breakfast next morning. "I'm going to
be busy today talking business with my Pacific Coast representatives.
First of all, however, Frank and I shall have to go and lay before the
government people this information as to what he overheard. I suppose,
Bob, that you and Jack want to go along."
"Righto, Father," said Bob.
They sat at table in the Palace Hotel on Market Street in San Francisco.
This is one of the most famous hostelries in the world. Lotta's Fountain
is on Market Street outside. Nearby is the intersection of Market, Geary
and Kearney Streets--the busiest spot in all the great city. The offices
of the big newspapers are adjacent. The hotel itself has housed famous
men and women from all parts of the world, has been the scene of great
municipal balls and other festivities, and in addition is the Mecca for
which head all the prospectors of the gold country and the Yukon when
they strike it rich, as they say.
Mr. Temple's business in the city was to consult with the western
representative of the big exporting and importing firm of which he was
the head. Frank's father had been his partner, and on his death had made
Mr. Temple his son's guardian and administrator of his estate.
"We'll stay a week, if all goes well," said Mr. Temple. "Of course, if
my business engagements take up too much of my time we might stay a day
or two longer, as there are some points of interest I intend to visit
while here. I've been in San Francisco before, but, for one thing, I've
never gone to the top of Mt. Tamalpais, across the Bay in the Marin
County peninsula. I want to make that trip. I suppose," he added, with a
smile, "you won't object if I am forced to stay more than a week."
"Oh, yes," said Jack laughing, "we'll be awfully put out. We don't want
to see a thing."
Suddenly Frank pushed back his chair and with an incoherent cry started
to dart away. Bob seized him by the coat. Frank writhed in his grasp and
attempted to twist free. He was highly excited.
"Hold on," said Bob. "What's the matter?"
Then Frank managed to obtain sufficent control of his voice to explain.
"Let me go," he demanded. "I saw that man who was on the train--the
fellow who was explaining the smuggling plot."
"Where, where?" demanded Bob, also gaining his feet.
"He was breakfasting over there," said Frank, pointing to a table near
the exit. "I caught just a glimpse of him. I think he was watching us.
Come on."
Turning, he darted off with Bob at his heels.
"Don't leave the hotel," called Mr. Temple, sharply. "People are
watching us."
"Excuse me," said Jack, who had stood undecided whether to follow his
chums. "I'll be right back."
And he, too, walked rapidly away.
With a sigh, Mr. Temple picked up his morning paper. But he was unable
to concentrate on his reading. His eyes wandered anxiously toward the
door despite himself. In a few minutes, however, his anxiety was
relieved. He saw the forms of the three boys appear. From their
expressions, he gathered that they had been unsuccessful.
"No use," said Frank. "He had disappeared."
"There are three doorways to as many streets," explained Jack, sinking
into his chair. "Each of us went a different way, but we couldn't see
him."
"Maybe he's a guest here," said Bob, "and went to his room."
"Good idea," said Frank. "Why didn't I think of that before? I'll just
go and describe him to the room clerk and see if he's here, and maybe I
can learn his name."
He would have gone at once, but Mr. Temple restrained him.
"Finish your breakfast first, Frank," said he. "You have barely touched
your eggs and bacon. If the man is a guest here, you can get the
information just as well a half hour from now."
The boys finished breakfast in record time. Mr. Temple sighed.
"You fellows are in such a hurry," said he. "If you are going to lead me
the wild chase here that you did in New Mexico I'll wish I had never
brought you. Here I go and plan a little sightseeing trip, and the first
thing you do before ever arriving at San Francisco is to become involved
in a plot. It won't do, you know."
Nevertheless, he got to his feet, signed the breakfast check and
followed the boys toward the clerk's desk.
"No," said the latter, after Frank had described minutely the mysterious
stranger. "I am quite sure I was not on duty last night when the Flyer
came in, but I was talking to the night clerk when the arrivals
registered. I remember your faces well, for instance. I am quite sure I
would have noted such a man as you describe if he had been among the
number."
Disappointed, Frank turned away.
"So much for that," he said to his friends. "But, do you know? I wonder
if that fellow happened to be in the breakfast room by accident, or
whether he was watching us?"
"Watching us?" said Bob. "Oh, you've got this plot stuff on the brain,
old thing. Why would he be watching us?"
"To see whether we went to the authorities," said Frank. "If he saw us
go to the authorities, he would be pretty certain we had overheard
enough of his conversation out on the observation platform last night to
make us suspicious, at least."
Mr. Temple was struck with the force of Frank's reasoning.
"Look here," he said, to the three chums. "Frank is right. If there is a
big plot afoot, and this fellow suspects us of having gained some
knowledge of it, he probably would do just as Frank says."
"Suppose you called up the Secret Service men, Mr. Temple," suggested
Jack, "and asked one of them to call on you here at the hotel? Wouldn't
that be better than to go to them?"
"Very good, Jack," approved the older man. "A government agent could
make his way direct to our suite without arousing suspicion if he takes
precautions, while, if Frank is correct and we are being shadowed, we
could not stir out of the hotel without being followed. Do you boys stay
here and keep your eyes open, while I go to our rooms and telephone. If
you see any more of this fellow, call me. If not, come up in half an
hour. By then probably a government man will have arrived."
The half-hour passed quickly for the boys who sat in the lobby,
intensely interested in the life of the big hotel going on around them,
and especially in the Oriental men-servants in their gorgeous native
costumes flitting in and out on noiseless soft-soled slippers. They saw
no sign of the man Frank believed was shadowing them and, at the end of
the allotted period of time, took the elevator to their third-floor
suite overlooking Market Street.
Barely had they entered the sitting room than there came a low knock on
the door, repeated three times, and Mr. Temple sprang to open it.
"There's the government agent," he said. "That's the signal he said he
would give."
As he opened the door, an alert, slim man of 30 stepped inside and
closed the door quickly behind him.
"Pardon my abruptness," he said, in a low voice. "Are you Mr. Temple?"
"I am."
"And I am Inspector Burton," said the other, flipping back the right
lapel of his coat and displaying a small gold shield. "You wanted to see
me?"
"I did," said Mr. Temple. "Won't you sit down?"
Inspector Burton took off his hat and accepted the proffered chair. He
looked inquiringly at the boys. Mr. Temple introduced them.
"Now," said Mr. Temple, "you probably were somewhat mystified by my
message. I did not want to say anything over the telephone about the
nature of the business on which we wanted to see you. Yet I did want you
to come here without being seen. That was why I asked you to take
precautions."
The other nodded.
"In our business," he said, "we receive many strange calls. So I was not
much surprised. I may as well tell you, however, that the clerk, who can
be trusted, knows that I am here."
He shot a searching glance at his hosts.
Mr. Temple nodded.
"I see," he said. "We might have been enemies trying to lure you into a
trap. That was a wise precaution on your part. But," he added, leaning
forward, "we are not enemies; merely good citizens who have come into
possession of certain information which we believe you ought to have."
"Wait a minute," said Inspector Burton, in a low voice, and leaping to
his feet, he gained the door in two strides, threw it open, peered out,
then disappeared.