“It is in that red brick building on the other side,” the gentleman answered. “You cannot very well miss it.”
In two minutes more he had made himself known to Mr. Wilkins, the vice-consul and acting consul.
“I rather thought we should see you here,” Mr. Wilkins said, “but hardly so soon. My second letter must have made good time over to America.”
“Your second letter!” Kit exclaimed; “we had not received a second letter from you, sir, when I left home. I started as soon as we got the photograph you sent.”
“Oh, yes; I see,” said Mr. Wilkins. “Then you recognized your father in the photograph, did you?”
“Not with certainty,” Kit replied; “but there was a resemblance. But was there any further news in your second letter, sir?”
“Well, I can hardly say any further news, except that there has been a great improvement in your father—at least in the man in the hospital. Even since the photograph was taken he has improved very much. Physically, I mean; he is a great deal stronger, and looks and acts much younger. And mentally he has improved somewhat, too. He is not able to give the least account of himself, to be sure; the past seems to be a perfect blank to him; but in affairs of the present he takes some intelligent interest. I am glad that you will see him in his improved condition rather than as he was some months ago. It was a hard matter for the consulate to deal with. A distressed American sailor we are allowed to send home at the public expense; but there was no evidence that this man is an American sailor—or indeed an American at all.”
“I think I can soon settle that question when I see him, sir,” Kit answered. “If he is my father, I shall know him, no matter how much he is changed. And naturally I am anxious to see him as soon as possible. If you will be kind enough to give me a line of introduction to the hospital authorities, I will go there at once.”
“Of course you are anxious!” the consul assented. “You have been kept in suspense a terribly long time; but you shall know the best or the worst without delay. I will go over to the hospital with you at once. It is only a few steps from here.”
In the hospital they were shown into the house surgeon’s office; and when the surgeon entered he was greatly interested to find that some one had come from the other side of the world in the hope of identifying the mysterious John Doe.