Young Lord Stranleigh

most cheerful apartment, and the young man who entered sa

the silver urn over a small electric furnace was enough to spur the longing of a sybarite. It is perhaps to be regretted that truth compels record of the fact that the languid person who found himself confronted by delicacies in season and out was healthily hungry, for some of us grumble that to him that hath shall be given, which seems unfa

nd insists on seeing you immediately. He sa

eople tire me. As if anything could be a matter of importance at this h

p sigh, and mur

e causing his surroundings to appear dilettante and needlessly expensive. He was even more than usually unkempt, as if he had been sitting up all night in the hol

young man over his shoulder. "I'm delighted to see you, and just i

s hard as the other's were affected. "I

l, call it lunch, an

a banquet, but to a

ters at any hour of the day, but in the morning I am particula

tha

ve a cig

ased box of silver, displaying a quantity of the

ade for me in Cairo, but pe

matter," said Mackeller

d it convenient for the young engineer's use, who dre

down, Ma

a hurry. Time is of

u, nevertheless the moment you came in I surmised you w

What do

or are you on your ow

understood I wa

down when I tell you to?" asked

with such suddenness that the laugh

ho pays for the music calls the tune. You say it is to be a quick

excellent,

e you will excuse me if I fail to regard this table as a quick lunch counter. I

ould not extend to every function

nd works slowly when it condescends to work at all, and my body rather accommodates itself to my mental condition. You appear

peed is the essence of the contract, as the lawyers sa

ed upon me a bonus of thirty thousand pounds in addition for taking it over. Whether or not any gold exists on the west coast of Africa, there certainly reposes thirty thousand golden sovereigns at my disposal in the bank; sovereigns which yesterday I did not possess, so I think I have

am can push her through the waters, for your property, with intent to loot the same? Do you comprehend that that steamer has been loaded by myself with the most modern surface-mining machinery, with d

am to blame in the matter. I assure you that it is not my fault, but the fault of circumstances. T

no right to censure y

ray give expression to your feelings by the use of any combination of words that brings relief. Don't mind me. I real

end to do anyt

f you knew how tasty this coffee is, you would yiel

o prosecute that sco

Bless my sou

y father. He got that exculpating doc

and there it ends. If I had been gifted with second sight, this vision would have revealed to me that the clever Schwartzbrod had cause

do nothi

, there's no

pirates from mining your gold, a

not: why

rmation to the

rities have more informat

l not even te

Rajah, and if they could they wouldn't catch her, so what's the good of

hen, of interfering with

, n

g to take it

pushed back his chair, threw his right leg ov

up another ship, follow the Rajah, and force those clai

possessing a giant's strength, but we must

whose face had grown darker and darker, watched the nonchalant young man opposite him with a curl of contempt on his lip, yet he realized that if his lordship c

ve no further need of me, and I

re you quit my service, I should like to rec

our proble

f the day. A man who has slept well, and breakfasted adequately seems just in tune to enjo

en it for him, but his lordship made a slight turning motion of his wrist, whereupon Ponderby instantly locked the door and put the key in his pocket, standing there as silent and imperturbable as if he had not just impriso

ng most interestingly, I admit, on subjects that did not in th

s my duty?" dema

helpless sack on a pack horse for an unstated number of miles, flung like a bundle into a pilot boat, and landed like a haddock on the beach. A man to whom all this happened must be well endowed with cheek to enter my house and berate me for indolence. So cease standing there like a graven image with your back to the door, and do not perambulate the room as you did a minute ago, like a tiger in his cage at the Zoo, but sit down here once more, l

hair again, and plumped down l

, and ask you to pardon my

p airily wa

es say 'dim' myself, if I may

difference, saying something to the effect that it mattered nothing to him who his owners were so long as his money was safe. The last material taken aboard was a large quantity of canvas for making tents, and lucky for me it was that I placed this at the foot of the ladder up from the hold. The workers had all gone on deck, and I was taking a final look around, wondering whether anything had been forgotten. I then mounted the ladder, and was amazed

n he was armed, and I was not, so after all I had little chance against him. He placed the lantern on the bales of canvas upon which I had fallen, and began, with seeming courtesy, by begging pardon for what he had done. Throughout he spoke very quietly, and imp

at case,' he replied, 'I shall supply you with food a

e is that?

navigation of the ship. I believe we are making for som

her. In fact, I was amazed that, having taken the risk of placing me in confinement as they had done, they should allow me to get on shore so soon, but I suppose the crafty old Schwartzbrod knew that if I remained missing long, there would be an outcry in the newspapers, so he reckoned it

rupted his lordship, "they would shut

the front part of the ship. These mines could be planted in the mouth of the river, and a chart kept, which, in the possession of the captain, would en

ers are brave as the buccaneers of ancient times. They are ce

amer Rajah will ever again put into a British port. My notion is that they will load her up with ore, and make for some point, probably in the Portuguese possessions, where they will smelt the ore, sell the ingots, and in the shape of hard cash which cannot be earmar

e, whereas you did. I think you should have put some shrewd man on to watch the trains, and learn if any of these men had come to Southampton, or perhaps you should

nothing in their conduct led me to suspect a trick like this. However, as I a

u ought to give me a we

This day w

to a month. How much should I hav

ry, I believe, is

not give me half

are entitled

shake hands and bid each other a tearful farewel

ing to do nothing

s on my part, but it sometimes seems to me that you think I am lacking in energy. I hope, however, I am mistaken." His lordship paused and gazed with quaint anxiety at h

ing engineering. I am credibly informed that if a hole is drilled in a piece of hard rock, and a portion of dynamite inserted therein, the explosion which follows generally rends the r

pins, and over those pins we placidly poured clear, cold water. After a time the rock gently parted. There was no dust, no smoke, no flame and fury and nerve-shattering detonation, yet the swelling pins had done exactly the same work that your stick of dynamite

es

little oceangoing steam yacht at p

he di

de him aware of wha

than I do; at least he told me he did no

gines, and could reel off, at a pinch, twenty-five knots an

housand five h

ing a little less, as her owners guarantee that speed. How long will it take her to reach the what-do-y

one days," rep

can accomplish in her sleep, we'd get there in half the time,

, it

n-the-spot in about ele

my l

before she does? Now don't you begin to be ashamed of yourself, Mackeller? Why rush me over my frugal meal when we have such ample time to spare? I'd mu

d to chase them, a

od Schwartzbrod's hired men. He's paying their wages. Chase them? Of cour

ablaze with enthusiasm, his right fis

"Do not let us display unnecessary energy. I'v

sat

low creature. You come storming in here, practically accusing me of doing nothing, whereas I am doing not

for that alr

rse and cart, should he? Ponderby," he continued, turning to his impassive butler, "would

to his visit

an engineer, and you will learn that while you were raging up from Plymouth I was ordering by telegraph to be sent to my yacht the m

n saying all along, but you gave me to u

ave jumped at conclusions, Mackeller. Still, as long as I can convince you

ntaining copies of the telegrams sent the day before

Mackeller turned the leaves of the book, reading as he went along. His eyebrows came lower and lower over his gloomy eyes, and a faint smil

ne; fifty dozens of claret, bu

t forgotten anything, you know. You see, I have some Irish blood in my v

tobacco by the hundredweight, pipes by the score, cigars and cigarettes by the thousand. I suppose

Mackeller. I am disappointed that you fai

ns, my lord, by popping champagne corks at

any one at all, but if the band of ruffians should come to dine with m

ed me that my time is not my own, but yours, so if it gives you any pleas

psed after a meal when a man should talk business, even if, like me, he does not understand it, he can at leas

aramak

t reaches the sea by several channels

ut the same size, so far

om the coast are

h hills, and I estimate the distance to be from twenty-five

epth of the Rajah could

e rocks in front of the gold field w

nnel, would she be out of sight of

en miles or so, there are plenty of hills that would conceal even a line of battle-ship, but an

t there before our friends do, so th

ntend to arm

g rifles, some shotguns, and plenty of ammuni

y riflemen do you prop

some of my younger gamekee

ed and fifty well-armed men, not to ment

being filibusters, but merely staid, respectable city persons going to look over a property we have purchased. If we are discovered and attacked, we will valorously fly, and as, at a pinch, I can get twenty-five knots

se of action will save you

. Now, I wish you to go back to Southampton. You n

es

e her o

Sparling

if you can, what is the reasonable value of the Rajah, then go to Sparling & Bilge and p

it in the price I am to

sible hereafter for the pay of the same. Then find out what can be done toward changing the name of the steamer. I wish to paint out the word Rajah and substitute, out of compliment to you, the name Blue Peter. Blue Peter means the flag of that color with a white square which is run up to the masthead when the ship is about to sail, and I doubt not the Blue Peter was flying over Peter

your instructions to the letter. I

e yacht, The Woman in White. Then engage a berth in the sleeping car on the 9.50 Penzance express, Great Western Railway, first-class fare, and five shillings extra for your stateroom, and don't forget to charge it to me. At the unholy hour of 6.49 in the morning, you will arrive at Redruth in Cornwall, where you can indulge in an early breakfast, which you seem to delight in. In the environs of that village you will find a little property which is owned by me, and on that bit of land is an abandoned copper mine with a smelting furnace. I think the smelting apparatus is in reasonably good order, but I doubt if any of the other appurtenances of the mine are of much value. Now, having gone into the

when you have on your hands the most prolific g

the other fellow's

op that crew in some wa

ot interfere with

you going to We

e I have ordered, and to smoke a few of those cigarettes which I sent aboard. I shall read all the latest books

long the coast, but up toward the hill

free rein to your passion for fighting, a surgeon will be necessary for amputations, the dressing of wounds, and generally useful in attendi

pper mine of yours in ope

manager to engage the men, ren

any limit in t

es, you will instruct the new manager that this is merely a tentative experiment of mine, and that he is not to purchase machinery wholesal

and losing venture. The copper industry of Cornwall has been steadily decreasing in value, a

steamer Rajah, loaded with ore, but renamed the Blue Peter, floating majestically into Portreath. What more natural than that the grasping Stranleigh should own another copper mine where there is no smelter, and that this ship brings copper ore to our Cornwall furnace? The Blue Peter shall probably first put into Plymouth, where she is less likely to be recognized by

Rajah on the high seas, following i

mine. Everything shall be done as legally as if we were transacting our affairs in the Temple or Gray's Inn. Doesn't that put to shame your wild Scottish Highland

re blasting out the ore on the

t astute financier elects to engage a large body of labor to get out my ore for me, then I think you will admit, Mackeller, m

"when they discover how they have

mouth, out of a job, he would probably look for a ship in that port, and failing to find one, might journey to his old employers at Southampton. But, although I discharge the captain, I don't intend to turn him adrift. I have already set influences at work which will secure for him a better boat than the Rajah, and the contented man will sail away from Plymouth, from London, or from some

ah at whatever foreign port he ordered her to s

much dou

hy

r produce the steamer or renew the charter. That rem

ths with optio

charter for another three months. He dare not go to see these shipping men because he has misla

t they have sold the Rajah to Lord Stran-leigh,

t an inkling of Mr. Schwartzbrod's dilemma. I h

e intact. You take great pains to prevent captain or any of the crew meeting Schwartzbrod, yet you make it inevitable

charter with the utmost cheerfulness, without insisting on learning where the Rajah is. But imagine the somewhat delicate position of a man compelled to negotiate with me for the hire of a boat to steal my own gold. The venerable Schwartzbrod will need to keep a close guard on his tongue or he will give himself away. It is a delicious dilemma. I hope you comprehend all t

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