“I—I—just grabbed the horse, that’s all, sir,” replied Ned. “You see on the farm I’d been used to horses and so it was really no trick at all. I hope the young lady is recovered?”
“Yes, and I have here a letter from her asking you and your companion who assisted you in your brave deed to come to dinner with us to-morrow night. I also wish to express in some more solid manner the full burden of my gratitude.”
“Thank you very much, sir,” replied Ned, “but the fleet sails to-morrow at noon and all shore leave will be stopped to-morrow.”
“Too bad! Too bad!” exclaimed the consul. “My daughter was so anxious to thank you personally for your bravery. Had it not been for the fact that your cap was picked up on the drive, we should never even have known who it was that performed such a brave deed.”
“How was that?” inquired Captain Dunham, very much interested.
“Why, right after the horse had been stopped, the two young men hurried away. But Mr. Strong’s cap was picked up by a policeman on the drive, and the fact that his name was inside it made it easy to trace him,” said the Chief of Police. “And, incidentally, I also want to shake this young man’s hand. His marooning of that gang of rascals on the roof of the ‘Fair Wind’ was the cleverest bit of work I’ve heard of in many a long day. They are all in for long terms in jail, too.”
“What about the reward, Chief?” asked the captain.
“That, of course, is a Federal matter, as the smuggling charges are not under our jurisdiction. And now, if I may, I would like to take this young man’s deposition, inasmuch as the fleet is to sail to-morrow.”
“Very well. There need be no delay,” said the captain.
“But pardon me, sir, I must take it before a notary public.”