Part 36 (1/2)

”Well, we looked about a good deal,” Jimmie admitted, ”and I can't say as I thought of being chased up. What did Was.h.i.+ngton say?”

”You boys are to wait here until you receive instructions. The cipher message is now going on the wire.”

The boys sat down in a restaurant not far from the telegraph office and ordered porterhouse steaks, French potatoes, and all the side dishes that were on the menu.

”We may have to ride to-night,” Jack said, ”and may as well prepare for it.”

”I don't like the idea of our being followed here,” Jimmie observed.

”We'll be apt to come across that chap on the way back. The funny part of it all is that we never suspected there was a sleuth out after us!”

”We ought to have known,” Jack grumbled. ”Somehow everything has gone wrong with us. If we ride back in the night we'll probably have a skirmish.”

After eating they went back to the telegraph office. The clerk was waiting for them, that being the usual hour for his supper.

”Here's your orders,” he said, with a smile, ”right from the chief himself. He seems to know who you are all right!”

Jack took the dispatch and read:

”Remain where you are until motor cars now on the way from c.u.mberland reach you. Our men say the cars can make good time clear to the foothills. The cipher message will arrive shortly. Be on your guard.”

It was signed by the chief of the Secret Service department.

”What do you know about that?” asked Jack, pa.s.sing the message over to Jimmie.

”How far is it to c.u.mberland?” he asked of the clerk.

”Something like eighty miles,” was the reply.

”Are the roads good? Can a motor car make good time to-night.”

”The river roads are fairly good. A fast car ought to get here in three hours.”

”I see that Chinese-looking guy that wanted the message catching us if we go back in an automobile!” Jimmie laughed.

”But a motor car,” Jack interrupted, ”is an easy thing to wreck on a mountain.”

”What do you think was in that dispatch?” Jimmie asked of Jack, as they sat in the telegraph office waiting.

”Something which brings out motor cars and secret service men,” Jack answered. ”I guess it made a hit at Was.h.i.+ngton.”

”Perhaps he wired that he was going to bring the prince in!” laughed Jimmie. ”Well, if he did, he'll do it, and that's all I've got to say about it.”

Twice that evening a dark face appeared at the window of the telegraph office and peered in at the boys. Each time the owner of the dark face hastened away after a short inspection of the lads and conferred with two men in a dark little hotel office.

Shortly after ten o'clock two great touring cars, long, lean racers, ran up to the curb in front of the telegraph office and stopped. The street was now well-nigh deserted, but what few people were still astir gathered around the machines.

There were three husky men in each machine, and in each car was room for one more person. Only one man alighted and entered the office.

When he saw the boys waiting he beckoned to them.