e first began his experiments about his
work and asked some advice. At that time he informed us that if he
succeeded in producing a Universal Detector that it would be at the
service of this government. So you see that you were kind enough to
inform us of something we knew already. But for a time we were at a loss
to know whether it was not some other inventor working on similar lines
who had discovered such a detector. To find out definitely we
fine-combed the country."

"And--and I get no reward?" stuttered Thurman.

"Except the one I mentioned and the possible lesson you may have learned
from your experience. Good-afternoon, Mr. Thurman."

Thurman was so thunderstruck by the collapse of his hopes of reaping a
fortune by his treachery that he appeared for a moment to be deprived of
the power of locomotion. The Secretary nodded to the orderly, who came
forward and took the wretched youth, for whom Jack could not help
feeling sorry, by the arm and led him to the door. This was the last
that was seen of Thurman for a long time, but Jack was destined to meet
him again, thousands of miles away and under strange circumstances.

When Jack left the Navy Department he felt as if he was walking on air.
In his pocket was a check, intended as a sort of retaining fee by the
government, till tests should have established beyond a doubt the value
of his invention. His eyes were dancing and all he felt that he needed
was a friend to share his pleasure with. This need was supplied on his
return to the hotel, for there was a telegram from Billy Raynor, telling
Jack to meet him on an evening train. It wound up with these words:

"Helen Dennis and myself badly worried. Hope everything is all
right."

"All right," smiled Jack, "yes, all right, and then some."

CHAPTER XXXII.

THE PLOTTER'S TRIUMPH.

The face of one of the first of the passengers to disembark from the
train as it rolled into the depot was a familiar one to Jack. With a
thrill of pleasure he darted through the crowd to clasp the hand of his
old friend, Captain Simms.

"Here's a coincidence," he exclaimed. "I'm here to meet Billy Raynor. He
must have come on the same train. But are you ill, sir? Is anything the
matter?"

"Jack, my boy," said the captain, who was pale and drawn, "a terrible
thing has happened. The code has been stolen."

"Stolen! By whom?"

"Undoubtedly by Judson and his gang. I thought I saw them on the train
between Clayto