or you. That President
Ham, he is a beast, an ogre!" Her voice sank to a whisper. "And for
myself also I have been frightened. The police, they are at each corner.
They watch the hotel. They watch ME! Why? What do they want?"

"They want something of mine," said Billy. "But I can't tell you what it
is until I'm sure it is mine. Is the boat at the wharf?"

"All is arranged," Claire assured him. "The boatmen are our friends;
they will take us safely to the steamer."

With a sigh of relief Billy lifted her valise and his own, but he did
not move forward. Anxiously Claire pulled at his sleeve.

"Come!" she begged. "For what it is that you wait?"

It was just eight o'clock.

Billy was looking up at the single electric light bulb that lit the
narrow street, and following the direction of his eyes, Claire saw the
light grow dim, saw the tiny wires grow red, and disappear. From
over all the city came shouts, and cries of consternation oaths, and
laughter, and then darkness.

"I was waiting for THIS!" cried Billy.

With the delight of a mischievous child Claire laughed aloud.

"You-you did it!" she accused.

"I did!" said Billy. "And now-we must run like the devil!"

The PRINZ DER NEDERLANDEN was drawing slowly out of the harbor. Shoulder
to shoulder Claire and Billy leaned upon the rail. On the wharfs of
Port-au-Prince they saw lanterns tossing and candles twinkling; saw the
LOUISIANA, blazing like a Christmas-tree, steaming majestically south;
in each other's eyes saw that all was well.

From his pocket Billy drew a long envelope.

"I can now with certainty," said Billy, "state that this is mine--OURS."

He opened the envelope, and while Claire gazed upon many mille-franc
notes Billy told how he had retrieved them.

"But what danger!" cried Claire. "In time Ham would have paid. Your
president at Washington would have made him pay. Why take such risks?
You had but to wait!"

Billy smiled contentedly.

"Dear one!" he exclaimed, "the policy of watchful waiting is safer, but
the Big Stick acts quicker and gets results!"

End of Project Gutenberg's Billy and the Big Stick, by Richard Harding Davis

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