CHAPTER II.
THEFT OF THE EMERALD NECKLACE.
"Early this afternoon," the lieutenant went on as the boys gathered abouthim, "I was interviewed by a reporter for the _Daily Planet_."
"Frank's father owns that newspaper," Jimmie suggested.
"Yes," said the officer, "and that is why I thought Frank might knowsomething of the origin of the inquiry. The reporter was not slow ingetting at the point he was in my rooms to discuss. Almost the firstquestion he asked me was this: 'Is it true that the government has orderedyou to the Canal Zone to investigate an alleged plot to blow up the Gatundam?' Coming from a reporter, as it did, the question knocked me all in aheap."
Ned Nestor leaned forward with a new interest showing in his face.
"I should think so," he said. "What did you tell him?"
"I tried to bluff him out at first, but soon learned that he knew moreabout the Zone situation than I did. He didn't get much information fromme, but I learned from him that the _Daily Planet_ is wise to the wholesituation, as the boys say. Now, the question is this: 'Where did theeditor secure his information?' I asked him in so many words, but he onlylaughed at me."
"The place to go for that information," Nestor suggested, "is to theeditor himself. Mr. Shaw would, of course, know all about it."
"That is exactly what I thought," said the lieutenant, "so I lost no timein getting to the editorial rooms. Mr. Shaw was there, and treated me verycourteously, but the only satisfaction I could get from him was theinformation that he knew something of what was going on, and was doing hisbest to secure enough facts regarding the matter for a news story."
"I may be able to get more than that out of him," George ventured.
"I doubt it," the lieutenant said, "for he is afraid some rival newspaperwill get an inkling of the matter and beat him out on the sensation he ispreparing. It seems that his men have discovered documentary evidence ofsome sort, papers which might be of great value in the hands of thegovernment."
"Wouldn't he give you a hint as to the contents of the papers?" askedNed.
"No; he wouldn't even give me an idea as to the parties he suspects. Ithink he might have done that, in the interest of good government. Well,of course his information is his own, but he might have trusted me not tobetray his confidence to his rivals. I must confess that I don't like hisattitude in the matter."
"The papers may contain nothing the government could use," Ned observed,"although their value to the newspaper may be great."
"I would like to get a look at them, all the same," said Gordon.
"I wish he would call off his reporters," Ned went on. "If they go aboutthe city asking the questions they asked of you, the plotters will soonknow that they are being watched, and that will make their capture moredifficult."
"That is the idea," exclaimed the lieutenant. "Perhaps we can get him tolet the case alone for a few days."
"That is doubtful," Ned said, "but there is one ray of light in thesituation. If the plotters find out that the editor of the _Daily Planet_has documentary evidence against them, they may try to steal the papers,and so disclose their identity."
"I would steal them myself if I got a chance," laughed Gordon. "Thegovernment needs every pointer it can get."
"Better let the others try first," advised Nestor, with a smile. "Itreally does begin to look as if the first move in this Panama game mightbe made right here in New York."
"I'd like to know where Shaw got the pointer," Gordon said, in a moment."I thought at first that Frank might have let out something in askingpermission to go to the Zone."
"He doesn't know a thing about it," Jimmie put in, warm in the defense ofhis friend. "How could he drop a hint, then?"
"There was something said about the situation in Panama before we left theSierra del Fierro mountains in Mexico," said Nestor, "but I can't for thelife of me tell just what it was."
"It was nothing definite," said Harry Stevens, "for I had forgotten allabout it. There was some talk about our going to the Canal Zone, butnothing was decided on, and the plot against the government wasn'tmentioned. At least that is my best recollection of the talk there."
"There was something more than that said," the lieutenant observed, "butthat is unimportant now. The thing to do, if we can, is to stop thisinvestigation by the _Daily Planet_. The reporters will let the cat out ofthe bag and the interests back of the plot will either act immediately,before we can check them, or delay the matter until everything inconnection with it is forgotten."
"If the papers collected by the _Daily Planet_ people give any inkling ofthe motive which is leading the plotters on," Nestor said, "we reallyought to get hold of them."
"I believe you are as bad as the lieutenant, and would steal them yourselfif you got a chance," grinned Jimmie.
"I would at least try to get a look at them," was the reply.
"Look here, fellows!" George Tolford cried, excitedly, "I think I knowwhere Mr. Shaw got his pointer. It is this way: Mr. Shaw is interested inZone property, and owns a large block of stock in an emerald mine. Hespent most of the past winter on the Isthmus, and there is where heunearthed the story. You take it from me that this is right."
"That view of the case makes it all the more imperative that we learn thecontents of the papers Mr. Shaw has," said the lieutenant, rising andpacing the room excitedly. "If he got his information on the Isthmus, itis more than likely that it points out not only the motive but also theinterest which is planning the outrage. I must send some high official totalk with Mr. Shaw. He is interested in an emerald mine, you say?" heasked.
"Sure he is," replied George Tolford. "Frank told me all about it not longago, at the time he showed me an emerald necklace his father gave him."
"An emerald necklace," repeated Jimmie. "What you gettin' at? Boys don'twear necklaces."
"This emerald necklace," George went on, "is as old as the hills. Franksays the stones were taken out of a mine in a valley in the interior ofColombia four hundred years ago. There are twenty-five stones, eachweighing over six carats. Taken separately, the stones are worth athousand each, and together their price is fabulous. Frank says thenecklace formerly belonged to some secret order of natives, and that$100,000 has been offered for it because of the perfectly matched stones,and because of its wonderful history. It is a peach, I can tell you that,and Frank will never go broke as long as he sticks to it."
"I didn't know that there were any emeralds down that way," Glen Howardsaid. "We will bring a couple of carloads back with us."
"Emeralds down that way!" repeated Peter Fenton. "Why, the best emeraldsin the world are found in South America. The very best are found in veinstraversing clay-slate, hornblende slate, and granite, in a little valleynot far from Bogota, the capital of the United States of Colombia.Inferior stones are found imbedded in mica slate in Europe. You see I'vebeen reading up on South America."
"It looks that way," laughed Lieutenant Gordon. "I must get a look atFrank's emerald necklace before I leave New York."
"We may find one like it in the ruins of Spanish Panama," said Peter.
"Guess there ain't many ruins around Panama," declared Jimmie. "Not manyruins anywhere Uncle Sam's soldiers are."
"Just the same," persisted Peter, "the Panama built by the Spaniards inthe year 1518 is now in ruins, unless it has been restored since theAmericans took possession of the Canal Zone. It lies six miles to thenortheast of the present city of that name."
"I wish Frank would drop in to-night," the lieutenant said, after a pause."I have an idea that he might suggest something of value just now, someway in which his father may be reached. We are leaving for the Zone onThursday morning, so have only one more day in the city, consequentlythere is no time to lose."
The boys fairly shrieked their appreciation of the information that theywere to depart for the Isthmus so soon, and gathered about LieutenantGordon with extended hands.
"But you must understand this," the lieutenant said, returning thegreetings
heartily, "you are not supposed to be in my company at all. Imay need to talk with some of you, but if I do it will be in a casualmanner, just as one tourist might address another. I am traveling alone,understand. I shall stop at the Tivoli, at Ancon, a short distance fromPanama, and you will have a cottage in the jungle, near Gatun."
"And we are to ramble about wherever we like?" asked Harry.
"Wherever you like," was the reply, "only you must not look me up unlessin case of serious trouble. I'll communicate with you when necessary."
The boys all agreed to the conditions readily enough; they would haveconsented to almost any arrangement in order to be taken on the trip.After the details were disposed of, Ned called the lieutenant aside andasked him a most surprising question:
"Are you really thinking of trying to steal those papers?"
"I've a great mind to make the attempt," was the smiling reply. "We needthem in our business, and, besides, the government has plenty of men herewho may as well be working on this case as any other."
"This is on the theory that the papers may reveal to you the nature of theplot and the names of the plotters?"
"That is the idea, exactly. I have no doubt now that Mr. Shaw secured hispointers while on the Isthmus, and the papers doubtless containinformation which it might take us months to procure. Yes, I think I shallset men at work on the case to-morrow. Besides getting the papers, we willrob Shaw of his sensation. A publication of the situation just now wouldbe a calamity."
"I think," Nestor said, modestly, "that I see a way to accomplish the endsyou seek without resorting to larceny. Will you promise me that you willdo nothing further in the matter of the documents until I have talked withyou again on the subject?"
"But it is imperative that we act quickly," protested the lieutenant.
"I understand that," Nestor replied, "but, all the same, I think I see away to gain our ends by keeping out of the way at present. Will youpromise?"
"Oh, yes! Have your own way about it. I can set the men at work justbefore we leave New York, and the information contained in the papers canbe sent to me by code. Have your own way, my boy."
"Thank you," Nestor said, and the two returned to the main room. The'phone in a closet near the door was ringing sharply, and Harry Stevensentered the closet and shut the door. In a moment exclamations of dismayand surprise were heard issuing from the other side of the closed door,and then Harry bounced back into the room, his face white, his eyesshining with excitement.
"What is it?" asked half a dozen voices.
"Lieutenant Gordon and Ned are wanted at Shaw's house at once," the boysaid. "Go on the run, boys, for there is something stirring there. Mr.Shaw has been chloroformed, the servants knocked about like tenpins, andFrank's emerald necklace has been stolen. We'll wait here for news."
"And so," the lieutenant said, looking Nestor in the eyes, "you werewaiting for the interests back of this thing to show their hand by tryingto get the papers."
"Yes," replied Nestor, "I had an idea the interests would try to do alittle stealing on their own hook."
"But if they have secured the papers--"
The lieutenant hesitated, and Nestor went on:
"If they have secured the papers, they know no more now than they didbefore. They are not out after information concerning their own plots.They are trying to reduce the outside supply of knowledge about theirmovements."
"There was nothing said about papers being stolen, was there?" asked thelieutenant. "Perhaps the necklace really was the point of attack."
Nestor turned to George Tolford.
"Do you know where Frank kept his necklace?" he asked.
"Sure I do," was the quick reply. "He kept it in a hinky-dinky little safeup in his room. I told him he was foolish to take such a risk with it."
"Did he keep the safe locked?"
"Locked! Not half the time. He would rush in there, open it up, and thenrun all over the house, leaving the door swinging."
Nestor and the lieutenant now left the room, after asking the boys to waitthere for a short time. Once out on the street, the lieutenant remarked:
"If the necklace was kept in Frank's room, why did the thief take thepains to chloroform Mr. Shaw, who must have been in his own room?"
Nestor shrugged his shoulders for reply. That was a point he had alreadyconsidered. Again the lieutenant asked a question:
"If the papers had been taken, wouldn't that have been mentioned the veryfirst thing? Wouldn't Mr. Shaw think first of recovering them?"
"I don't know," replied Nestor. "The thing for us to do now is to find outwho it was that entered the Shaw house to-night, and what was takenbesides the necklace."