[CHAPTER XXXIV.]
A NEW ASSIGNMENT.
It was the next morning. In Captain Dunham's cabin on the Manhattan, Herc had just concluded reciting his story to the commander and to no less a person than the Secretary of the Navy.
It had been a badly embarrassed boy who had at first faced the stern questioning of his commanding officer; but by degrees, as his story went on, Captain Dunham's manner relaxed. His stern air gave place to one of deep interest. And now, at the conclusion of Herc's narrative, he spoke:
"I was at first inclined to very grave suspicions of you, Taylor, but your previous good record and your manner convince me that you are telling the truth, more particularly as the department has been aware for some time of the existence of a band of spies who had, in some way, secured the coöperation of renegades in our navy. We have been trying through the night to get some word of Strong; but we have failed. I'm afraid, my lad, that you must resign yourself to the inevitable. At any rate, Strong, so far as we know, died in the pursuit of his duty and lived up to the best traditions of the navy."
"Then you believe that he is dead, sir?" Herc blurted out, his freckles showing like scars against his pale cheeks.
"There is no other conclusion to be reached, Taylor. His long absence from duty, and the lack of all word from him, convince me of the worst. Strong is not the sort of lad to remain out of touch, if he were in the land of the living. You may go now, and the Secretary and myself will talk over the details of rounding up this gang of miscreants. If they had anything to do with Strong's death, I will give you the satisfaction of taking part in the pursuit and apprehension of them."
The Secretary broke in.
"That clew that Taylor has in the shape of that scrap of paper, I regard as valuable, Captain," he said. "I would recommend that inquiries be sent out concerning the yacht Halcyon. It is quite possible that the conspirators may be meaning to make good their escape on her. In that case, if we can trace her, she can be intercepted at sea and the men apprehended."