He had taken the captain and I into his private office while he examined us regarding the particulars of the affair. I told him frankly about the dead man in the boat.
“I must find this Dao Singh,” he said. “Until I get him I cannot call the case closed, of course. And then, there’s the little girl.”
Captain Bowditch spoke up for me, then. He had had a good report of me from Captain Hiram Rogers of the Scarboro, and he believed what I had told him about my folks. He would go bail for my appearance, and the production of Philly safe and sound, whenever we should be wanted.
“A very good arrangement,” agreed the consul, seemingly mightily relieved regarding the girl. He was a bachelor himself. “Meanwhile I will do my best to locate her people. Of course, she must have been consigned to somebody in England, even if she does not know who. It seems to me as though the name of Captain Erskin Duane is not unfamiliar to me.”
So we got away from there after a while. When I had gone ashore to get my fancy rigout I had sent a telegram to Ham Mayberry. I did that so as not to startle my mother, believing that Ham would know how to break the news of my arrival to her better than anybody else. Ham had been with us so many years that he was like one of the family.
And having telegraphed him I was mighty anxious for a reply that all was well.
Captain Bowditch left us to report at the offices of the ship owners and Philly and I went back to the Gullwing where Ham was to send his message. It had arrived while we were at the consul’s and Mr. Gates handed the envelope to me the moment I came aboard.
With some perturbation, I broke the seal, and to say the least I was amazed when I read Hamilton Mayberry’s telegram:
“I will meet every train. Speak to nobody until you see me.—H. M.”