Part 29 (2/2)

Thurman had slipped away after the man had displayed his badge. His envious mind was now sure of its revenge. He, too, meant to get the first train to Was.h.i.+ngton.

”Don't worry, old fellow,” said Jack. ”Just slip ash.o.r.e and make my excuses to Helen and her father, will you, and then meet me in Was.h.i.+ngton at the Willard. I think I shall have some news that will surprise you.”

Greatly mystified, Raynor obeyed, while Jack and the four men, two on each side of him, left the s.h.i.+p. Thurman followed them closely. His flabby face wore a look of satisfaction.

”Two birds with one stone,” he muttered to himself. ”I've got even with Jack Ready and I get a reward for doing it. Slick work.”

The trip to Was.h.i.+ngton was uneventful. On their arrival there Jack and the Secret Service men went straight to the Navy Department. They pa.s.sed through a room filled with waiting persons having business there, and were at once admitted to the office of the Secretary of the Navy, a dignified looking man with gray hair and mustache, who sat ensconced behind a large desk littered with papers and doc.u.ments.

There were several other gentlemen in the room. Some of them were in naval uniforms and all had an official appearance that was rather overawing.

”So, this is our young man,” said the Secretary, as Jack removed his hat. ”Sit down, Mr. Ready, these gentlemen and myself wish to talk to you.”

Then, for an hour or more, Jack described the Universal Detector and answered scores of questions. After the first few minutes his sense of embarra.s.sment wore off and he talked easily and naturally. When he had finished, and everybody's curiosity was satisfied, the Secretary turned to him.

”And you are prepared to turn this instrument over to the United States navy?”

”That was the main object I had in designing it,” said Jack, ”but I am at a loss to know how you discovered that I was on board the _Columbia_.”

”That will soon be explained,” said the Secretary, with a smile that was rather enigmatic. ”You recollect having a little fun with our navy operators?”

Jack colored and stammered something while everybody in the room smiled.

”Don't worry about that,” laughed the Secretary. ”It just upset the dignity of some of our navy operators. Well, following that somebody offered, for a consideration, to tell us who it was that had discovered the secret of a Universal Detector. It turned out, as I had expected from our previous correspondence, that it was you. But not till two nights ago, when our informant again wirelessed, did we know that you were at sea.”

”But--but, sir,” stuttered Jack, greatly mystified, ”who did this?”

The Secretary pressed a b.u.t.ton on his desk. A uniformed orderly instantly answered.

”Tell Mr. Thurman to come in,” said the Secretary.

There was a brief silence, then the door opened and Thurman, with an expectant look and an a.s.sured manner, stepped into the room.

”Mr. Thurman?” asked the Secretary.

”Yes, sir,” said Thurman in a loud, confident voice, ”I thought I'd hurry over here as soon as the s.h.i.+p docked and talk to you about my work in discovering for you the fellow who invented the Universal Detector.

I----”

He suddenly caught sight of Jack and turned a sickly yellow. Jack looked steadily at the fellow who, he had guessed for some time, had been evilly interested in the detector.

”Well, go on, Mr. Thurman,” said the Secretary, encouragingly, but with a peculiar look at the corners of his mouth.

Thurman shuffled miserably.

”I'd prefer not to talk with--with him in the room,” he said, nodding his head sideways at Jack.

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