“But why should your father hesitate about letting the authorities at Washington know of his loss, Tom? Perhaps they might help him find that paper before the thief had found a chance to get it out of the country.”
Tom sighed heavily.
“I think father has a fear that some jealous rival of his might circulate the report that the paper had not been stolen at all; and that the supposed robbery was only a clever ruse on his part to deceive the Government. In plain words, Jack, that my father, who would die before betraying his country, had conspired to sell his invention at an enormous price to the Germans.”
“That would be a terrible thing for any American to say of another!” Jack asserted, indignantly.
“Still, there are men who would be guilty of throwing out such base hints; and you know how these are magnified by the public. Father is doubly troubled, you can see. I would give a great deal if only I could in some way be able to recover that stolen paper, and put it safely back in father’s hands.”
“You’ve made me feel bad, Tom. I sympathize with your father, because I know from all you’ve told me that he expected this to be the crowning feat of all his inventions. And then, besides, his loss may make Germany the commanding nation of the whole world. Yes, it’s a great misfortune. I wish we could do something to recover that stolen paper.”
“Oh, I’d give years of my life if I only could, Jack! But it’s no use to dream of such a thing. Still, I suppose I will do that very thing—dream of it—and often wake up in the belief that I’ve cornered this Adolph Tuessig and forced him to hand over father’s latest and biggest achievement.”
“I can easily understand just how you feel. It may be the thing will work on my mind too, so that I’ll also dream I’m handing that paper back to your dad, proudly telling him how we hunted the German spy down and forced him to disgorge. But you said this misfortune at home wouldn’t cause you to change your plans any, didn’t you?”
“I shall be more eager than ever to get a whack at the Kaiser, because it was one of his miserable spies who robbed my father of his secret. Our folks have already given their consent, and if only we can get passage aboard a steamer there’s nothing to keep us from going across to France, who is eager to accept all the aviators she can get on the battlelines.”
Jack had apparently been a little anxious concerning this part of the programme. Considerably relieved, he thrust out his hand and squeezed the fingers of his comrade heartily as he went on to say: