Part 6 (1/2)
”This place is going to be crowded with people from the burned hotel,”
objected the sergeant. ”There will be no room for you. Besides, how do I know these boys are anarchists?”
”Look in their valise,” cried the stranger. ”It is filled with bombs.”
”You can't look in this satchel,” exclaimed Jack, for he remembered the valise contained parts of the professor's secret machines.
”What did I tell you?” cried the Englishman with triumph in his tones.
”They are the guilty ones. They are afraid to open their valise.”
”We are, but not because it has bombs in it,” said Mark. ”It has parts of an unpatented machine and the owner does not want any one to see them,” for Mark remembered Mr. Henderson's strict injunctions to let no one but the mechanist to whom they had gone catch a glimpse of the parts that were to be duplicated. The machinist was sworn to secrecy.
”It's none of our affair,” said the sergeant, though he seemed a little impressed by the Englishman's words and the reluctance Mark and Jack showed to letting the valise be opened. ”The boys will be here until morning, and then you can see the judge. Now you'll have to get out. You boys get to bed.”
Muttering threats, the stranger went from the station house, and Mark and Jack, in response to a nod from the doorman, followed him upstairs to a part of the police station used to detain witnesses. They were shown to a small room with a single bed.
”Are ye really anarchists?” asked the doorman.
”Not a bit,” replied Jack, and he told as much of their story as he dared.
”I was kind-of hopin' ye was,” said the officer with a twinkle in his eye. ”It wouldn't do any harm to scare that uppish Englishman a bit.
Sure he an' his kind have done enough to poor old Ireland.”
”I'm sorry we can't oblige you,” said Mark with a laugh.
”I guess ye're all right,” went on the doorman. ”I hope ye sleep good the rest of the night.”
Then he left them alone. What with the excitement of the fire and the startling accusation against them, the boys' brains were too excited to let them sleep much. They had a few fitful naps throughout the remainder of the night.
It was just getting daylight when Mark was awakened by some one shaking him.
”What is it?” he asked. ”Another fire?”
”Not this time,” replied a voice, and Mark, now that his eyes were fully opened, saw the doorman bending over him.
”What's the matter?” asked Jack waking up in his turn.
”Easy!” exclaimed the doorman in a whisper. ”I happened to think ye might want to be leavin'.”
”Leaving?” asked Mark in bewilderment.
”Yes. Ye know that Englishman is liable to be back any minute, an' he may make trouble for ye. I know ye're innocent lads, an' I'd hate to see ye mixed up in a mess with that fellow. So I slips up here early, an' ye can leave by the back door if ye want to, an' the officer of His Imperial Majesty, King Edward VII, will never know a thing about it.”
”It looks like running away,” objected Jack.
”Sure there's no charge agin ye,” went on the doorman. ”Ye're free to come an' go as far as we're concerned, an' ye'd better go whilst ye have the chance.”
Jack reflected. It was true that the charge of the Englishman, baseless as it was, might make trouble for them, and cause them endless delays in getting back to Professor Henderson. Suddenly Jack made up his mind.