It was engraved:
W. R. Barnes U. S. Secret Service.
"Yes, I'll see them," he said, then to us, "Please excuse me?"
Elaine, Aunt Josephine and I strolled off in the palms toward the Fifth
Avenue side, while Jennings went out toward the back of the house.
"Well, gentlemen," greeted Kennedy as he met the two detectives, "what can I do for you?"
The leader looked about, then leaned over and whispered, "We've just had word, Professor, that your model of the torpedo has been stolen from the Navy Department in Washington."
"Stolen?" repeated Kennedy, staring aghast.
"Yes. We fear that an agent of a foreign government has found a traitor in the department."
Rapidly Kennedy's mind pictured what might be done with the deadly weapon in the hands of an enemy.
"And," added the Secret Service man, "we have reason to believe that this foreign agent is using a Chinaman, Wu Fang."