“Yes,” he rejoined, “I do. What of him?”
“He is a rascal, I gather,” went on the other coolly. “I assume this both from your manner of speaking of him and from a conversation I had with him myself this morning.”
“You had a conversation with him?” gasped Mr. Lockyer, genuinely interested now. “Where?”
“Right here in Grayport,” was the response.
“But I thought he had left town.”
“That’s where you are wrong. He is living in some well-concealed place on the outskirts of the town, or so I gathered. But that is not the point. What I wanted to tell you was that he came to me this morning and, after some beating about the bush, requested me to furnish him with some detailed drawings of what I saw on the completed submarine, and also with any other information concerning her I could gather.”
“Did he say what he wanted this for?” asked Mr. Lockyer, in great astonishment.
“No. But, as he offered me a big price for the information, I gathered he was in the employ of persons who are interested in obtaining the information.”
“And did you make an appointment with him?” asked Mr. Lockyer, with keen interest.