Part 23 (1/2)

suggested Tom. ”You may lose it, and perhaps it would be hard to match.”

”That's so. Thank you!” said Mr. Boylan. He tried to reach around and get it, but he was too stout to turn easily, especially as the coat was tight-fitting.

”I'll get it for you,” offered Tom, as he pulled it off. ”There is one missing, though,” he said, as he handed the b.u.t.ton to the man.

And then Tom started as he saw the pattern of the one in his hand.

”One gone? That's too bad,” murmured Mr. Boylan. ”Those b.u.t.tons were imported, and I doubt if I can replace them. They are rather odd.”

”Yes,” agreed Tom, gazing as if fascinated at the one he still held. ”They are rather odd.”

And then, as he pa.s.sed it over, like a flash it came to him where he had seen a b.u.t.ton like that before. He had found it in his airs.h.i.+p, which had been so mysteriously taken away and returned.

Tom could hardly restrain his impatience until Mr. Boylan had gone. The young inventor had half a notion to produce the other b.u.t.ton, matching the one he had just pulled off his visitor's coat, and tell where he had found it. But he held himself back. He wanted to talk first to Ned.

And, when his chum came in, Tom cried:

”Ned, what do you think? I know who had my airs.h.i.+p!”

”How?” asked Ned, in wonder.

”By that b.u.t.ton clue! Yes, it's the same kind--they're as alike as twins!” and Tom brought out the b.u.t.ton which he had put away in his desk. ”See, Boylan had one just like this on the back of his coat. The other was missing. Here it is--it was in the seat of my airs.h.i.+p, where it was probably pulled off as he moved about. Ned, I think I've got the right clue at last.”

Ned said nothing for several seconds. Then he remarked slowly:

”Well, Tom, it proves one thing; but not the other.”

”What do you mean?”

”I mean that it may be perfectly true that the b.u.t.ton came off Mr.

Boylan's coat, but that doesn't prove that he wore it. You can be reasonably sure that the coat was having a ride in your Eagle, but was Boylan in the coat? That's the question.”

”In the coat? Of course he was in it!” cried Tom.

”You can't be sure. Someone may have borrowed his coat to take a midnight ride in the airs.h.i.+p.”

”Mr. Boylan doesn't look to be the kind of a man who would lend his clothes,” remarked Tom.

”You never can tell. Someone may have borrowed it without his knowledge. You'd better go a bit slow, Tom.”

”Well, maybe I had. But it's a clue, anyhow.”

Ned agreed to this.

”And all I've got to do is to find out who was in the coat when it was riding about in my airs.h.i.+p,” went on Tom.

”Yes,” said Ned, ”and then maybe you'll have some clue to the disappearance of Mr. Damon.”

”Right you are! Come on, let's get busy!”