Part 2 (1/2)
Young men, you may resume your journey!”
Thanking the officer in grateful acknowledgment of his courtesy the lads again found their compartment. Scarcely had they regained their former position before the train again began to move.
”Now, Ned,” began Harry, as the wheels once more clicked over the rail joints, ”produce! Let's have the secret!”
”Produce nothing!” declared Ned. ”I have nothing to produce!”
”The package, man, the mysterious package of contraband spy literature!”
demanded Harry in a serious tone. ”What secrets are you carrying out of this country to help the English?”
”I tell you I have nothing at all! I don't know what that package contained, nor do I know where it came from!”
”That's all right, too!” declared Jack. ”But where did it go to so suddenly? That's the interesting part! What did you do with it?”
”Honestly, boys,” protested Ned, ”I haven't got it. I saw that fellow fish it out of my kit. I saw him put it on the table. When I turned back after glancing at the door the package was gone!”
”We know that!” continued Harry. ”Now, who took it?”
”I'd give a good deal to know that myself!” declared Ned.
”Just how much would you give?” queried Jimmie from his seat in a corner from whence he had been listening. ”I'd like to make a stake!”
”Jimmie pinched it!” cried Harry, pouncing upon his comrade.
”Deliver that package!” shouted Jack, going to the a.s.sistance of his chum. ”Search him, Ned!” he continued, as Jimmie was dragged to his feet.
”Go through him carefully while we hold him.”
”Go as far as you like,” grinned Jimmie teasingly. ”It's not here!”
”Where is it, Jimmie?” questioned Ned, seriously, ”let's have it!”
”I tell you I haven't got it!” declared Jimmie, still grinning. ”But I saw it when it disappeared and I know where it went!”
”Hurry up!” shouted Jack, impatiently. ”Say something!”
”It went out of the window of the shanty!” declared Jimmie.
”Aw, go on!” scorned Harry. ”Just jumped up and flew away!”
With a laugh Jimmie then related what he had seen at the moment when all the other occupants of the hut had been giving their attention to the disturbance at the front door. The tale astonished his chums.
”I saw the hand as plainly as I see my own!” declared Jimmie, holding his hand up to the light of the single oil lamp. ”It was the hand of a gentleman, I should say. I mean by that, it was soft and well kept--not hard and calloused. The peculiar mark by which I shall know it again if I see it was a scar extending clear across the back. I somehow connected that scar with a saber or sword cut. It was an ugly wound.”
”Did you see anything of the man?” asked Ned, eagerly.
”No, I wasn't turned far enough and I didn't dare move,” replied Jimmie.
”All at once I seemed to comprehend that the thief was saving us a lot of troublesome delay, and I just let him make his getaway without raising a holler! I thought he was helping us as well as himself!”
”I think we ought to vote Jimmie a credit mark!” declared Ned.