The Corys were dreadfully disappointed at this fresh freak of fate. To lose their prize when it seemed so nearly within their grasp was a blow sufficient to shake their hope of ever being able to help Harley, for everything worked against them.
“I am afraid your chances of laying your hands on Stavanger, junior, are gone,” said Major Colbrook, when he called to see our friends the next morning.
“How so?” inquired Mr. Cory.
“Well, none of the ships that have come in this morning have sighted the balloon. The probability is that it has come to grief, and that the men are all drowned or killed. I am sorry for the other fellows, but sympathy would be wasted on a scoundrel who would swear another man’s liberty away for a crime he has committed himself.”
“Perhaps so. But, if Stavanger has perished, the proofs of his guilt will have been lost with him, and that will be a very serious thing for us.”
“But you have a witness in the shape of the jeweller, who can prove that the diamonds were offered to him for sale.”
“There you are wrong. Unless we can secure some of them, we cannot show reasonable proof that these are the identical diamonds that were stolen.”
“I think, father, that the sooner we look after that ship-captain the better. You know we were told that he also had some jewels for sale. As he was in Hugh Stavanger’s company, I expect he had exacted them as the price of his silence or his help. If we can find him, it may turn out that we can do without the diamond merchant’s son. Our present object must be to expedite Harley’s liberation. The punishment of the wrong-doers can follow after.”
“Bravo, Miss Cory. You have hit the nail on the head,” exclaimed the major. “Look here, we know the name of the ship, and that she has left Malta. Let’s go to the harbour-master, and find out where she cleared for. You may be able to catch her at the next discharging port. Before you could overtake the ‘Merry Maid’ now she will be loaded and away. So you must find out somehow where she is bound for.”
As Major Colbrook’s advice was considered good, it was acted upon at once, but the result of the inquiries made was somewhat disappointing. The “Merry Maid” had gone to Barcelona, and from there to Gibraltar for orders, and what those orders were would take some little time to discover.