Part 25 (1/2)

”Johnson says he can get them,” proclaimed Kate with finality.

”Oh, d.a.m.n Johnson! Dorothy, I beg your pardon, but really, this daughter of mine, combined with that Johnson of yours, is just a little more than I can bear.”

”Then what are we to do?” demanded his daughter. ”Sit here with folded hands?”

”That would be a great deal better than what you propose. You should do something sane. You mustn't involve a pair of friendly countries in war. Of course the United States would utterly disclaim your act, and discredit me if I were lunatic enough to undertake such a wild goose chase, which I'm not; but, on the other hand, if two of our girls undertook such an expedition, no man can predict the public clamor that might arise. Why, when the newspapers get hold of a question, you never know where they will end it. Undoubtedly you two girls should be sent to prison, and, with equal undoubtedness, the American people wouldn't permit it.”

”You bet they wouldn't,” said Katherine, dropping into slang.

”Well, then, if they wouldn't, there's war.”

”One moment, Captain Kempt,” said Dorothy, again in her mildest tones, for voices had again begun to run high, ”you spoke of doing something sane. You understand the situation. What should you counsel us to do?”

The Captain drew a long breath, and leaned back in his chair.

”There, Dad, it's up to you,” said Katherine. ”Let us hear your proposal, and then you'll learn how easy it is to criticise.”

”Well,” said the Captain hesitatingly, ”there's our diplomatic service--”

”Utterly useless: one man is a Russian, and the other an Englishman.

Diplomacy not only can do nothing, but won't even try,” cried Kate triumphantly.

”Yet,” said the Captain, with little confidence, ”although the two men are foreigners, the two girls are Americans.”

”We don't count: we've no votes,” said Kate. ”Besides, Dorothy tried the diplomatic service, and could not even get accurate information from it.

Now, father, third time and out.”

”Four b.a.l.l.s are out, Kate, and I've only fanned the air twice. Now, girls, I'll tell you what I'd do. You two come with me to Was.h.i.+ngton.

We will seek a private interview with the President. He will get into communication with the Czar, also privately, and outside of all regular channels. The Czar will put machinery in motion that is sure to produce those two young men much more effectually and speedily than any cutthroat expedition on a yacht.”

”I think,” said Dorothy, ”that is an excellent plan.”

”Of course it is,” cried the Captain enthusiastically. ”Don't you see the pull the President will have? Why, they've put an Englishman into 'the jug,' and when the President communicates this fact to the Czar he will be afraid to refuse, knowing that the next appeal may be from America to England, and when you add a couple of American girls to that political mix-up, why, what chance has the Czar?”

”The point you raise, Captain,” said Dorothy, ”is one I wish to say a few words about. The President cannot get Mr. Drummond released, because the Czar and all his government will be compelled to deny that they know anything of him. Even the President couldn't guarantee that the Englishman would keep silence if he were set at liberty. The Czar would know that, but your plan would undoubtedly produce Prince Ivan Lermontoff. All the president has to do is to tell the Czar that the Prince is engaged to an American girl, and Lermontoff will be allowed to go.”

”But,” objected the Captain, ”as the Prince knows the Englishman is in prison, how could they be sure of John keeping quiet when Drummond is his best friend?”

”He cannot know that, because the Prince was arrested several days before Drummond was.

”They have probably chucked them both into the same cell,” said the Captain, but Dorothy shook her head.

”If they had intended to do that, they would doubtless have arrested them together. I am sure that one does not know the fate of the other, therefore the Czar can quite readily let Lermontoff go, and he is certain to do that at a word from the President. Besides this, I am as confident that Jack is not in the Trogzmondoff, as I am sure that Drummond is. Johnson said it was a prison for foreigners.”

”Oh, Dorothy,” cried the Captain, with a deep sigh, ”if we've got back again to Johnson--” He waved his hand and shook his head.

The maid opened the door and said, looking at Dorothy: