Part 4 (1/2)
”Lay for them, Harry! c.h.i.n.ks in a boat! Coming your way!”
Young King Brady listened, catching the sound of oars.
But it was only for a minute.
”They have either stopped or m.u.f.fled their oars!” he said when he heard Old King Brady right above him exclaim:
”Good heavens! What's this?”
”Anything the matter with Alice?” cried Harry, and he went up the standing ladder flying.
Old King Brady was peering about in the fog.
The two Secret Service men were just coming up.
”What is it?” cried Harry. ”Where's Alice? I have called her several times, but she don't answer.”
”Why, I left her right here, and that box with her; both seem to have vanished,” Old King Brady answered in a tone which fully betrayed his anxiety.
But it was easy to mistake the exact position in the fog.
A moment's search revealed the puzzling fact that nowhere on the bulkhead Alice and the heavy box containing the imprisoned princess was to be found.
The Bradys and the Secret Service men pushed about everywhere.
One of the first things they did was to turn the corner of the end warehouse and look there along the street.
”She has been captured and carried off. She must have gone this way,”
Harry exclaimed.
”Or into one of the warehouses,” said Old King Brady.
”I'll get up the street. You get along by the warehouses,” cried Harry, and he started away on the run.
It was ten minutes before he returned.
”Learned anything?” demanded Old King Brady, anxiously.
”Nothing. I went two blocks. Didn't see a soul; no need to ask you if you had better luck, I suppose?”
”I had none at all. I have tried the different doors, but I can't find any that is open now, whatever the case may have been a few minutes ago.”
And such are the circ.u.mstances of the most mysterious disappearance Alice has ever made, and she has made many, for, of course, troubles form a part of the life of a detective.
Poor Harry was in despair. Old King Brady exceedingly anxious and also vexed with himself to think that he had not insisted upon Alice going aboard the boat.
”And you heard no noise of any kind?” he asked for the third time.
”Not a sound,” replied Harry. ”I was sitting quiet in the boat, too.”