ow matters are."

"How, Tom?"

"By taking a run down there in my motor-boat. I can do it to-morrow
and get back by night, if I start early. Then you will not worry."

"All right, Tom; I wish you would. Come up to my room and we will talk
it over. I'd rather leave you go than telephone, as I don't like to
talk of my business over the wire if I can avoid it."

CHAPTER X

A CRY FOR HELP

"Now, dad, tell me all about it," requested Tom when he and Ned were in
Mr. Swift's apartment at the hotel, safe from the rain that was
falling. "How did you happen to see Anson Morse and Happy Harry?" My
old readers will doubtless remember that the latter was the disguised
tramp who was so vindictive toward Tom, while Morse was the man who
endeavored to sneak in Mr. Swift's shop and steal a valuable invention.

"Well, Tom," proceeded the inventor, "there isn't much to tell. I was
out walking in the woods yesterday, and when I was behind a clump of
bushes I heard voices. I looked out and there I saw the two men."

"At first I thought they were trailing me, but I saw that they had not
seen me, and I didn't see how they could know I was in the
neighborhood. So I quietly made my way back to the hotel."

"Could you hear what they were saying?"

"Not all, but they seemed angry over something. The man with the blue
ring on his finger asked the other man whether Murdock had been heard
from."

"Who is Murdock?"

"I don't know, unless he is another member of the gang or unless that
is an assumed name."

"It may be that. What else did you hear?"

"The man we know as Morse replied that he hadn't heard from him, but
that he suspected Murdock was playing a double game. Then the
tramp--Happy Harry--asked this question: 'Have you any clew to the
sparkler?' And Morse answered: 'No, but I think Murdock has hid it
somewhere and is trying to get away with it without giving us our
share.' Then the two men walked away, and I came back to the hotel,"
finished Mr. Swift.

"Sparkler," murmured Tom. "I wonder what that can be?"

"That's a slang word for diamonds," suggested Ned.

"So it is. In that case, dad, I think we have nothing to worry about.
Those fellows must be going to commit a diamond robbery or perhaps it
has already taken place."

The inventor seemed relieved at this theory of his son. His face
brightened and he said: "If they are going to commit a robbery, Tom, we
ought to notify the police."

"But if t