CHAPTER XXXII.
THE PLOTTER'S TRIUMPH.
The face of one of the first of the passengers to disembark from the train as it rolled into the depot was a familiar one to Jack. With a thrill of pleasure he darted through the crowd to clasp the hand of his old friend, Captain Simms.
"Here's a coincidence," he exclaimed. "I'm here to meet Billy Raynor. He must have come on the same train. But are you ill, sir? Is anything the matter?"
"Jack, my boy," said the captain, who was pale and drawn, "a terrible thing has happened. The code has been stolen."
"Stolen! By whom?"
"Undoubtedly by Judson and his gang. I thought I saw them on the train between Clayton and New York. I was on my way here with the completed code. I had it under my pillow in my berth on the sleeper. When I awakened it had gone."
"Didn't you have a hunt made for Judson when you reached New York?"
"Yes, but we had made two stops in the night. Undoubtedly, they got off at one of them. Unless that code is found I'm a ruined and a disgraced man."