And while the other three, for the want of anything better to do, sat down to the game, Fred wandered off toward the station, knowing that fully half an hour more must elapse before the train would be in.
That interval was not to be put in entirely without profit, however, for Fred was to learn the natural sequence of the enforced departure of the treacherous pilot, Henryson. He got it from another member of Henryson's crew, who, either by message from the former, or by some intuition, seemed to know what had happened. This fellow merely informed Fred that Braizewell had decided not to enter his machine or crew in the Transatlantic flight.
A lot of things were becoming apparent since first discovery was made of Henryson's treachery, and not the least among them was the fact that Braizewell, being of that stamp, did not care to match his product against others in any honest competition.
Fred digested the statement about Braizewell's withdrawal without comment. What was the use of discussion with a man who was probably familiar with, and subscribed to, all of Braizewell's and Henryson's carefully cooked-up but eventually unsuccessful perfidies? Fred merely heard the bit of gossip and passed on. He wasn't interested in either Braizewell or Henryson, now that neither was in any respect a factor in the projected America-to-Europe flight. He just loafed around the station until the train came puffing in, and from the baggage car a bundle of papers were tossed to the platform; and then his spirits awakened again and he was the first to get one from the news man.
His spirits awakened, did we say? One glance at the front page and he flopped into one of the rough station seats to read half a column before he remembered his equally curious companions back at the hut, who were awaiting his arrival with the latest news.
And it was news. Conditions were reaching a crisis in the Peace Conference! Not that conditions hadn't approached other crises there before; but they had been concerning minor matters as compared with the present difficulties.
In a way it concerned the celebrated "open door" policy as regards China, which the illustrious John Hay had established years before when Secretary of State of the United States. It dealt with the disposition of Shantung and Chinese provinces which Japan wanted; and it related intimately to Japanese inquiries as to American guarantees to China, and American loans floated in behalf of that nation which today typifies the oldest and the slowest of civilizations.
But the crux of the whole situation lay in the Japanese demand to see the important documents. Not that her envoys doubted the veracity of other delegations to the Conference or the authenticity of reports and records which were shown. Oh, no; of course not! Time and again this was politely and diplomatically reaffirmed. There wasn't any doubt, only—well, Japanese statesmen would like to see the documents and treaties; in fact, insisted upon it.