“Haven’t got anything on that yet. Will you be down?”
“Right away,” promised Tim. He closed the file, snapped off the light and hurried around to the garage in the rear where he signed an order for one of the News’ cars.
Hunter was waiting for him at the airport. In one hand he held one of the pink slips on which the radiograms were copied.
“Just got a report on the ownership of the amphib,” said the field manager. “It belongs to some fellow by the name of Sladek in New York City.”
“Is it Jack Sladek?” asked Tim.
“Can’t say. The message asking for refueling here is just signed Sladek. You know someone by that name?”
“No, but I’ve read a lot about a Jack Sladek of New York. He’s something of an international figure; been mixed up in a lot of different things, South American revolutions, Arctic explorations, underwater treasure hunts and rum running when that business was profitable. I’ve seen feature stories in eastern papers that credit Sladek with having made a fortune in deals that are just inside the law.”
“You’ll have a chance to see him first hand,” grinned Hunter, “for the ship was over Spencer half an hour ago. It should be here in another fifteen minutes.”
“That’s just time enough for me to get a lunch. I got interested in a little work at the office and forgot to go out and get supper.” Tim ordered a hot lunch and while he ate scanned the last edition of the Advance, the rival newspaper. He chuckled once or twice as he read the story of the pursuit of McDowell. The Advance had only the sketchiest of details and all of the rest of the story was obviously the product of the imagination of Mogridge, the reporter who had been assigned to the story. It could not compare with the brilliant accurately written story which Tim had woven for the News and which had been featured on the front page through all the editions that day. As Tim finished his lunch the drone of twin motors sounded high overhead. The amphibian was coming in. He stepped out of the lunchroom. The riding lights of the plane were visible as it circled to come down into the wind. Tim walked over and stood beside Hunter as the big ship dropped down and rolled to a stop on the ramp.
The amphibian was a beauty, trimmed in green and silver, and with a large cabin.