Part 5 (1/2)
”I know what the answer is! I've been reading my little dream book!”
”All right, wise man, let's have it! Don't keep it bottled up!”
”Mackinder!” declared Jimmie impressively.
”You don't mean to say that he beat us to the s.h.i.+p and managed to get the captain to refuse us pa.s.sage on his vessel?” asked Ned.
”I believe I'm right at that!” maintained Jimmie, stoutly.
”Then the only thing we can do is to try to find some coasting vessel to carry us out of the Zuider Zee into the North Sea and make a port in England. We can then go overland to Liverpool and get a s.h.i.+p from there home. Suppose we try that?” offered Ned.
The boys were pa.s.sing along a covered dock at the moment. As they turned a corner they saw Mackinder standing near. A smile of triumph lighted his face.
CHAPTER IV
THE LENA k.n.o.bLOCH
”What did I tell you?” inquired Jimmie, as the boys pa.s.sed the man.
”There he stands with his arms folded and grins like a cream stealing cat! I wish I had a half a brick! We'll have to watch out for him!”
”It surely looks as if you were right, Jimmie!” a.s.sented Ned.
”But what gets me,” put in Harry, ”is why he should be after us! What have we done? He seems to have information that we're criminals!”
”It looks mighty strange that he should have stolen the package out of that hut and then continue to insist that we have it,” remarked Ned. ”Are you sure he's the same fellow, Jimmie?”
”It's the very same hand,” declared the lad, ”and that hand is a dead give away! I wonder he didn't wear a glove or bandage!”
”Maybe he didn't have time when he got the package,” explained Jack. ”Can anyone tell me how the thing got into our kits?”
This question was unanswerable by any of the lads. Puzzling over the strange adventures they had recently encountered the lads proceeded to their hotel, where they spent some time in freshening both themselves and their uniforms and in rearranging their baggage.
At supper time they were tired and very hungry. At the first opportunity they proceeded to the restaurant where they had formerly eaten.
Jimmie's spirits revived as food was set before them. In a moment he was laughing and chatting away without a care in the world. His good humor was infectious. Soon all four boys were in a merry mood.
”I wish we could get a civilized paper,” declared Jack at length. ”I'd really like to see what's going on in the world.”
”Maybe we can get one at the desk. Or possibly the cas.h.i.+er can tell us where they will have English papers for sale,” suggested Harry.
”Here comes a man who looks as if he were a native,” spoke up Jimmie.
”I'll bet he can tell us a whole lot of things we want to know!”
The boys glanced up to observe a man approaching their table. He was evidently a seafaring man. His dress and manner betokened the deep sea mariner. A decided air of the ocean marked him to the boys' eyes.
”Goot efening, Chentlemen!” the stranger said as he approached.