As to his people—his father? Oh, well, he had already intimated that he might go to Turkestan. The governor was all right and two or three weeks more wouldn’t make an absence of two years seem much longer. He would get ready.
On the main deck in a cozy spot he found Don, surrounded by youngsters of all ages and both sexes, telling the little ones some fairy tale. It was remarkable how fond Donald was of children and how quickly the children took to him.
“I am sorry, Don, to disturb this little party. Would you mind coming to my cabin—I have an important matter to talk over with you.”
If Don felt surprise he succeeded in hiding it. Smilingly depositing a mite of a girl from his knee on to the deck, he disentangled himself from the swarm about him, and said quickly: “All right, Mr. Morton, I’ll be down in a minute.”
Promising the children to resume his tale next morning, and accompanied by shrill calls of: “Don’t forget, Mr. McCormick,” and “Don’t tell anything when I aren’t here,” he followed Morton.
Arrived in his cabin, Morton silently motioned his man to a seat and sat down himself. He at once informed Don that important matters about which for the present he could say nothing, obliged him to change the original plan of travel. The journey to Italy would have to be interrupted by a couple of weeks’ stay in Eastern Europe. An important undertaking had to be accomplished that needed cool judgment and careful preparation. Don must leave by the midnight train and embark the next evening on the Lloyd boat for Brindisi. Further orders would be ready for him when he arrived there. Donald simply nodded and made ready to rise when Morton suddenly changed his mind.
“Don, we have serious work laid out for us—I am not ready to tell you what—I don’t quite know myself what it is—but you will have to be over there at once and start at the business. I’ll have our agent from Rome meet you in Brindisi and he will act on your instructions. I’ll cable him and have letters of introduction ready. Now let’s put down what we need.”
Don was to secure a large amount of money in gold and bills current in Balkan countries; especially gold—for Roumelia.
He was to obtain all the information available about Roumelia, collect newspaper articles on Roumelian affairs beginning with October fifteenth, tabulate them so that they could go over them quickly, and get information about the best train connections with Bucharest. Morton would need the help of an American Consul. Don must induce the Consul at Rome or Naples to come to Brindisi to meet him, Morton. Morton would explain things later. Passports good for all the Balkan states, and especially Roumelia, would be needed. Also introductory letters to American Consuls and to such men of standing as the consul or the agents of the firm could influence.
Don’s face had, during this recital, been assuming a more and more puzzled expression. “Is it all on the level, Mr. John?” he asked. “It sounds kind o’ crazy.”