CHAPTER XII
"There are the cliffs!" said Mr. Ridgeway, pointing through the fog asit broke for a moment. "Sail high, Lawrence, as you approach the coast.As soon as you are over the cliffs, set your course to the southeast andkeep straight on. We will reach our destination this afternoon, andtomorrow we will go on to our second stop, to return the papers." Hegave a sigh.
"Well, we have escaped the thieves this time, Lawrence, and I _do_ feelrelieved! I am growing a little too old for this sort of thing. If I hadbeen engaged in escaping bandits all my life, I suppose I would have anappetite for it. It must be the way some people like big doses of pepperin their food. But I am a peaceful man, and I would rather do 'mostanything than go scooting around the world with a pack of hyenas on mytrail. Perhaps if I had sons, a son like you, Lawrence, things would bedifferent. Both Mrs. Ridgeway and myself would feel that there was moreto live for. But the death of our sons sort of took the zest of livingaway from us. I have had to live for my wife and she for me. We nevermention our loss. You must be careful of that, Lawrence. She cannot bearit even now. You noticed her picture in the library, did you not? It isa good one, but I carry a better one with me." He undid his heavyleather coat and fumbled in an inside pocket just as the indicatorannounced that the wireless was working. Mr. Ridgeway buttoned his coatagain, and turned to the wireless table.
"O'Brien is calling," he said.
Lawrence put a hand on his arm.
"Mr. Ridgeway, be sure that it _is_ O'Brien, and not someone else," hebegged. "I don't feel good about that ship behind there. I suppose itis, O'Brien, but there is something that keeps telling me to becareful."
Mr. Ridgeway smiled. "I wish I had known before that you were anxious,my dear boy," he said. "The simplest way to settle that is to ask aquestion or two. We might have called yesterday and saved you theanxiety."
He took up the instrument and adjusted it. In a moment the message fromthe other ship commenced to flow smoothly in. O'Brien greeted his chiefand asked for a little help. Before they passed over the cliffs, wouldMr. Ridgeway please slow down and allow him to come up? He could notmake the speed that the Barnegat airship could make. Indeed he wasstraining his engine to keep in sight.
Mr. Ridgeway agreed to do as O'Brien asked. He hoped there was nothingwrong with O'Brien's engine. Nothing serious, came the reply.
"Is anyone following?" asked Mr. Ridgeway.
"Yes," answered the wireless. "We are followed by another dirigible. Isuppose Smith is driving it, but they are far behind and cannot catch upbefore you cross England. They think they are following you. I will leadthem toward the north as soon as we are well over the land."
"That is satisfactory," answered Mr. Ridgeway.
"Ask him why he didn't answer my signal," prompted Lawrence.
"Why didn't you answer the signal Lawrence sent out yesterday?" askedMr. Ridgeway.
"Too busy," came the answer. "This engine was off all day, and we wereworking on it all the time."
"See?" said Mr. Ridgeway. "That is all right. The signal was nothingimportant, was it?"
"I suppose not," said Lawrence. "But can't you ask him something orother that only O'Brien would know?"
Mr. Ridgeway laughed. "You _are_ a suspicious kid all right, aren't you?Well, here is something no one but O'Brien and myself and one otherperson, a very distinguished person indeed, could possibly know. I willask him about the letter from the White House."
He turned to the instrument.
"O'Brien," he asked, "Lawrence wants something as evidence that you arereally there. He seems to doubt his senses. Just tell me if there wasanything peculiar about the paper I wrote my instructions on."
"Lawrence won't have any doubts about _anything_ when I see him,"flashed back. "Yes, I remember the paper. It was the private stationeryof the President and instead of signing your name, it was signed withyour private seal, the carved seal you always carry on a chain underyour waist-coat."
"O.K." answered Mr. Ridgeway. "I think that is clear enough. We willslow down immediately. Keep to the right. We cannot see you in this fog.It is getting thicker as we go in. I can't afford any accident now."
"All right!" came the answer.
Mr. Ridgeway turned to Lawrence. "I think that ought to satisfy you, myboy. O'Brien received my message written in the President's privatestudy on his private paper and sealed with this seal. It never leaves meand cannot be duplicated. There are secret lines in the carving, asdelicate as the lines on a bank note. Oh, it is O'Brien all right! Andhe says that Smith is behind, but evidently following him. Just as weplanned every bit of it."
Lawrence gave a sigh of relief.
"I am certainly glad," he said. "I don't know what made me sosuspicious."
"Well, I hope you are satisfied now," replied Mr. Ridgeway, laughing.
"I am," said Lawrence slowly; "but I know I am _not_."
Mr. Ridgeway slapped him on the back. "What a boy!" he exclaimed."Within an hour at most O'Brien will be laughing at you, and I will,too. I wish this fog would lift. It is dangerous for two balloons thesize of these to approach when they cannot see to manoeuver. However, weare all right. Unless it is absolutely necessary to borrow something forhis engine, O'Brien will not try to board us. We can swing him almostanything he wants."
"I can hear him coming now. There _is_ something wrong! The engine onthat ship never made a noise like that."
Lawrence listened, and wondered dully if it was O'Brien's car, but hedid not care to be laughed at, so kept silence, only asking, "Shall Itake the wheel?"
"Perhaps you had better," said Mr. Ridgeway, "and when the cars cometogether allow for the wind. It is blowing from the north, and I toldO'Brien to keep to the right as he came up. Coming on the left, we mightbe blown together and entangled. So allow for that and keep pretty wellaway until we know what he wants."
Lawrence went to the wheel and settled himself for a pretty piece ofairmanship. He too could hear the pulsation of the engine behind them.It sounded choked and muffled in the fog, which was now so thick thatobjects five feet away looked hazy.
More and more distinct came the sound behind, and suddenly like aphantom the dirigible appeared. Mr. Ridgeway gave a shout of surpriseand anger as the balloon, instead of following his directions, slidclose to them on the left. The cars bumped violently, and two muffledfigures rapidly lashed them together fore and aft They had had the ropesready and it took but a moment to secure them.
Then, almost before Mr. Ridgeway realized his predicament, he and thetwo men who comprised the crew found themselves looking into the muzzlesof the revolvers held by their strange visitors.
"Hands up!" said a smooth voice which Lawrence recognized as that oftheir arch enemy. "No fooling! We intended to shoot you all, but if yougive up the jewels and papers, Mr. Ridgeway, you may save your life andthat of the boy over there. Keep that wheel steady," he ordered, "or Ishoot!"
He turned to Mr. Ridgeway. "If the papers and jewels are in my hands intwo minutes, you are safe. Otherwise down into the sea you will go.However, perhaps it will be as well to wait until I hear my men comingup. There is a dirigible behind, with the rest of my men. The dirigibleis the one O'Brien was going to take. O'Brien is dead, by the way."
Under the air mask Smith grinned.
"Who are you anyway?" demanded Mr. Ridgeway.
The man laid one of his revolvers down and tore off his mask. Mr.Ridgeway looked at the smooth, smiling face and staggered backward.
"My private secretary!" he gasped.
"Nicely done, wasn't it, Mr. Ridgeway? I don't at all blame you fortrusting me. I brought such wonderful recommendations!" The fiendchuckled. "Indeed, kings themselves have trusted me before this. Howevermuch as I might desire to talk over old times with you, I will ask youto tell me where the jewels are."
Then before Mr. Ridgeway could answer, his face lighted.
"Ah, an inspiration" he said. "No need at all for unwilling disclosures.We will just chan
ge ships. Why did I not think of that before? Brown,just escort those mechanics over the side into our car, then tie themfor the present and fix the guns. We won't want to trouble our friendswith the care of the little beauties. You know what to do, Brown." Helistened. "No sound yet," he said, and as the men went over the side, heturned to look at them.
Silently in that moment when Smith's eyes were following the movementsof Brown and his two prisoners, Lawrence stole a hand along the side ofthe ship and grasped a fine cord that hung within his reach. He gave aquick pull and heard aloft in the fog a little sound which he instantlydisguised by a flood of hyolax in the carbureter. The engine sputteredfuriously but Smith only glanced at him idly, thinking that fright haddeprived him of his common sense.
Mr. Ridgeway had followed Lawrence's quick action, however, and he hungback as Mr. Smith with a wave of his revolver indicated that he too wasto follow over the side into the other ship.
"Look here, Van Arsdale," he said quietly, "I don't see why we can'ttalk this thing over. You have the upper hand certainly. Name yourprice, and let us keep the jewels. Name your price, and although it is acrime to do it, I will give you a certified check for your money. Youknow I always have certified checks with me."
Van Arsdale pondered. "I don't know but there is a good deal to that,Mr. Ridgeway. I know just how you feel. You want it said that you were atrustworthy custodian. And as far as I go, I would rather handle cashthan bother trying to have a bushel of old diamonds and rubies recut andmarketed. As for the papers, they must have a price of their own becausein giving them up, I relinquish my hopes of greatness for awhile andwill have to think up some other scheme to attain my ends. So, Mr.Ridgeway, what do you offer?"
"A million," said Mr. Ridgeway.
"Pounds or dollars?" asked Van Arsdale.
"Dollars," replied Mr. Ridgeway.
"Not enough!" said Van Arsdale. "Dear Mr. Ridgeway, we have discussedthe value of the jewels so often, you and I, when I was your trustedsecretary. A million won't do at all. Come, bid up! What am I offered?"
"Two millions for the jewels and papers," said Mr. Ridgeway. "I can't gohigher."
"Three or nothing," said Van Arsdale sullenly. "I will take three, and Iwant it before those fellows come up. They expect the jewels, and theywould murder anybody for cash."
"All right," said Mr. Ridgeway.
Lawrence saw that he was deadly pale and his hand shook. "This cleans meout, Van Arsdale." He took a check book and fountain pen from his pocketand commenced to write. Van Arsdale stepped up to him and looked overhis shoulder. Instantly Lawrence jerked the cord again, and silently inthe wet fog a sort of claw with a razor edge on it fell in his lap. Heshoved it hastily out of sight just as Van Arsdale looked up and asked:"What makes this boat list so?"
"Because you are tied up to us," answered Mr. Ridgeway quickly. "Thereis your check, Van Arsdale, and I hope I can get even with you someday!"
"I wish you all the success in the world!" laughed the plotter. "I doadvise you as a friend to keep out of my path."
He called sharply and Brown, who had secured the two men, stepped overthe side and approached his master.
"Tie the wheel, and toss that boy over!" he ordered.
"Into the sea, Excellency?" asked Brown.
"No, idiot; into the other ship! No, take this man first!"
"What do you mean?" demanded Mr. Ridgeway. "You have your money. Put upthose guns and get out! A bargain is a bargain, and I suppose there ishonor even among thieves."
"Among _some_ thieves, no doubt," said Van Arsdale, smiling his snakysmile. "Also there is another motto. _Business is business._ It was agood touch to get the three million as well as the jewels and papers,was it not? Yes, it has been quite an education to be with you, Mr.Ridgeway. In my place, you would at once retire and allow me to proceedon my way. But you see there are some brave fellows following who lookto me for their daily bread, their all. They will not like it when theyfind you have not gone down to feed the fishes, but never mind. You knowhow tender-hearted I am."
"Even about O'Brien. I don't mind telling you that I had three ways ofdetaining him, and I chose the least painful one. Come, Mr. Ridgeway,over the side at once. That boy over there can follow you. He is nogood. This ship is listing more all the time. Come, come! I want to trueup the engine."
He took a step toward Mr. Ridgeway, his two revolvers still levelled.Like a flash, Mr. Ridgeway hurled the wireless table full at his captor.Instantly both revolvers went off wild, and Brown, seizing a heavyhyolax case, brought it down on Mr. Ridgeway's head. If it had struckhim squarely, it would have killed him, but Lawrence, springing forward,had been just in time to seize Brown's arm and the blow glanced. Eventhen Mr. Ridgeway dropped without a sound and lay as though dead.
Brown had seized Lawrence, and as he held him in a rough grip the soundof an approaching dirigible was heard through the fog.
"Lemme drop them overboard, Excellency, and cut loose and go!"
"No! I do owe something for the three millions, Brown," said VanArsdale. "Think what a nice division that is going to make! By rights itis all mine, but I am not small; I will divide. Here come our men. HoistRidgeway over the side into the other boat. Don't try any funny work! Ifhe goes into the sea, so do you. He shall have his life in exchange forthe money. You cub, you get over there! If my men come up, I will havehard work saving your precious young neck!" He lifted Lawrence andtossed him over with little ceremony, as Brown tumbled the unconsciousfigure of Mr. Ridgeway into the other ship.
"Now get out!" said Van Arsdale to Lawrence. "If you can steer get outas fast as you can! The dirigible behind is armored and armed like abattleship. And they won't waste sympathy on _you_!" He cut the ropesbetween the two ships and turned toward the wheel, shoving his revolversinto his pockets.
Lawrence watched him as the two ships sheered off, then as he heard theexhaust of the approaching ship bearing its load of cutthroats Lawrencerealized that their chances of life were dwindling. Nothing matteredexcept to let Van Arsdale know that they were not afraid even at themoment of death.
He leaned over the edge, and as the car sheered off a little, he yelledderisively like a street urchin, "Say, mister, your bag is leaking andpointed upward!"
Van Arsdale looked. Slowly, very slowly, the big bag was collapsing.