the delicate sounds he sought with a newspaper
carrying on that way about his head. Yet, when quiet had been once more
restored and he was ready to try again, Tommy began another hunt for
news.

"Think you can work it?" he casually asked, over his shoulder.

"I--I might, with less noise," the professor suggested.

"Hope my paper doesn't bother you. This is the only place I have to read
since I gave up my room, you know."

Several times more, as Monsieur was holding his breath momentarily
expecting the mystery of the combination to dissolve, the paper seemed
to be stricken with an ague, till at last, hugging the safe to his
chest, he indignantly stalked down the passageway and slammed the door
of his room after him.

Tommy now arose and walked around his chair, and as I was leaving for my
appointed place I saw him start on tiptoe in the direction of Doloria's
stateroom.

Ten minutes later he appeared in the cockpit, helped her to the deck,
and together they approached. Yet as they drew near the place I was
standing she stopped, looking at me in pretty surprise, but came forward
again with hands outstretched, saying:

"Oh, Jack, I thought you were terribly, dangerously ill!" And before I
could reply Tommy was gurgling, with a fatuous grin:

"Why, hullo, Jack! I see you're up!"

"Are you better?" she asked, letting her hands rest in mine.

"D'you know," here Tommy interposed, not giving me a chance to answer,
"that old whiz-bang devil told Doloria that if she spoke to you, or
answered your notes, he'd have you jailed for interfering with a foreign
country's accredited agent? Sure, he did! He stuffed her poor little
head full of trumped-up international law that hadn't a grain of truth
in it--to scare her, see? She was afraid to budge!"

"He did that?" I cried.

"Oh, yes, but it doesn't matter now," she said hurriedly. "Are you
really better?"

"Dear me, dear me"--it was Tommy again--"I've come up without my
cigarettes! You'll excuse me?" He bowed to her, and left without
awaiting the royal consent.

The silence was a trifle awkward when he went, and our eyes seemed to be
glued to the spot where he disappeared; but now I turned to her.

"I suppose Echochee was listening to his conversation with Monsieur, and
told you. Tommy's full of ideas, but this is his masterpiece because it
unlocked your prison."

"It was I who listened--purposely," she said, without a trace of
embarrassment, but laughed a little s