On each side of the posts of the gateway stood a bra.s.s shield on which was the inscription:
"Emba.s.sy of the United States of America."
Very gravely Dan and Runkle followed Dave, each raising his hat to the Flag as soon as his feet touched the sidewalk.
"There"s a carriage entrance below," said Dave, "but we"ll take the plain way and walk in."
Paying and dismissing the taxicab driver, Dave led the way to the entrance.
"A naval party to see the Amba.s.sador, at his convenience, on business," Dave announced to the attendant at the door.
They were shown to an anteroom near the door, where they were soon joined by a Mr. Lupton, who introduced himself as Second Secretary to the Emba.s.sy.
"The amba.s.sador, Mr. Caine, will not be here before nine o"clock,"
announced Mr. Lupton. "I know that you are expected. You have not breakfasted?"
"No," Dave confessed.
"Then I will ask you to let me be host. Before I lead the way I will ring for some one to see that your sailorman is well taken care of."
Five minutes later Darrin and Dalzell were seated at a small breakfast table with Mr. Lupton.
"Just before reaching here," began Dave, "it occurred to Mr. Dalzell and myself that we have, beyond our card-cases, no means of identification. Can you tell us how Mr. Caine will be sure that he is talking with the right persons?"
"I believe that will be arranged all right," smiled Mr. Lupton. "I, too, have taken you gentlemen on trust, but presently, I believe, we are going to be satisfied."
Two minutes later there stalked into the room a tall, handsome young man whose navy uniform set off his good figure to great advantage.
"Jetson?" exclaimed Dave, rising.
"The same," smiled the newcomer, advancing and holding out his hand.
He and Dave shook hands heartily, after which Dan came in for a similar greeting.
Readers of the Annapolis series will recall Jetson as being a fellow member of the Brigade of Midshipmen with Darrin and Dalzell at the U. S.
Naval Academy. At one time, there, Dave and Jetson had not been good friends, but Dave had, at the very great risk of his own life, saved Jetson from drowning. Now, the two young officers were on excellent terms.
"I understand, now, what was darkness to me before," murmured Dave, after Jetson had seated himself at table. "Admiral Timworth knew that you were here, Jetson, and able to identify us."
"I have been here for three months," explained Jetson, smiling, "doing some work to a.s.sist the naval attache of this Emba.s.sy, Commander Tupper. I have had three months of the hardest work in this old capital, but now, confound it, my work here has ended and I"m ordered to join my ship. The bridge and the quarter-deck are places of boredom to a fellow who has seen what I"ve seen here. Why, I"ve even made two trips up to the front--one of them to Verdun."
"Lucky dog!" cried Danny Grin, with feeling. "So you"ve seen some of the big fighting!"
"It may be well to state that I know fully the business on which you are ordered here," Jetson continued, "so you may mention it freely before me if you are so inclined."
"Then can you tell me," Dave asked, "if it is known how our enemies propose to sink a British warship and make it appear to be the work of someone in the American Navy?"
"I cannot," Jetson replied. "In fact, it was only on receipt of a wireless from near Monte Carlo that the Amba.s.sador had any knowledge that the international plotters intended to attempt the destruction of a British warship as a means for creating bad feeling between the two countries. The whole plot seems foolishly improbable to me."
"It doesn"t seem so to me, any longer," rejoined Dave.
"Then you must know some thing that I haven"t heard about," murmured Jetson curiously.
"Mr. Darrin," broke in Mr. Lupton, "I will be the Amba.s.sador"s authority for you to speak as freely of the matter as you choose."
Dave and Dan thereupon told all that had befallen them at Monte Carlo and at Naples.
"But still," Jetson broke in perplexedly, "how is the sinking of a British warship to be brought about with safety to the plotters, and how is the crime to be laid at the door of the American Navy?"
"I wish to speak to the Amba.s.sador on that point before I mention it to any one else," Dave answered.
"Have you told Dalzell?" pressed Jetson.
"I have not."
"He certainly hasn"t," complained Danny Grin sadly. "Dave always tells me after he has told every one else."
"Danny boy," Dave rebuked him, "where do you hope to go after you die?"
"Paris," Dalzell answered promptly.
Breakfast lasted until word came that the Amba.s.sador was ready to receive the two young officers from the flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet. Then Jetson left his friends.
Mr. Caine, to whom Mr. Lupton presently introduced the ensigns, was a man in his fifties, rather bald, and with a decided stoop in his shoulders. At home he was a manufacturer of barbed wire, and his business, as Danny later suggested, had perhaps helped to give him some of his keenness and sharpness. He was slenderly fashioned, and reminded one, at first, of a professor in a minor college.
It was when the Amba.s.sador transacted business that some of his sterling qualities came out. He was recognized as being one of the cleverest and ablest of American diplomats.
"I am glad to meet you, gentlemen," said the Amba.s.sador, shaking hands with Dave and Dan and then motioning them to seats, which an attendant placed for them. "Mr. Lupton, you have doubtless had Jetson"s a.s.surance that these young men are the persons they claim to be?"
"Yes, sir," Lupton rejoined.
"Then tell me all you can of this matter," urged Mr. Caine.
At a look from Second Secretary Lupton, the attendant withdrew from the room. Dave and Dan were soon deep in the narration of events in which they partic.i.p.ated at Monte Carlo and at Naples.
"I know the young Comte of Surigny," remarked Mr. Caine, "and I am deeply disappointed to learn that he is among our foes, and in such a mean capacity as the one in which he must be employed. The young man comes from one of the most ancient families in France, though he has never been well-to-do, for his ancestors attended to the insuring of his poverty. The gambling streak has run through several generations of the family."
Then Dave and Dan continued with their story, Amba.s.sador Caine paying close attention to all they said.
"Gortchky is expected in Paris soon," announced the Amba.s.sador presently.
"Is he, sir?" Darrin asked quickly. "Would it be indiscreet for me to ask if you know why he is coming here?"
"I have nothing more definite than suspicion," replied Mr. Caine.
"Paris, which has one of the best detective systems of the world, is also noted as being the princ.i.p.al headquarters for conspiracies against governments. Not only do the anarchists and nihilists look upon Paris as their Mecca; but other scoundrels working out nefarious plans for wicked governments also meet here to lay their dastardly plots. Gortchky may be coming here to secure new agents to take the place of those already known to the Americans who are watching him and his men; or he may be coming here to hold a conference with the men higher up, who are directing his scoundrelly work against the peace of England and America."
"I take it, sir, that your secret service men will make every effort to find out what Gortchky does in Paris, and for what real purpose he is here, and--"