some manner
interfere to protect the public ways of travel.

That is what Mr. Ward pointed out to me; and our duty was obvious.
But how could we accomplish this task? We discussed the matter for
some time; and I was just about to leave when Mr. Ward made one last
suggestion.

"Have you not observed, Strock," said he, "that there is a sort of
fantastic resemblance between the general appearance of this boat and
this automobile?"

"There is something of the sort, Mr. Ward."

"Well, is it not possible that the two are one?"

Chapter 6

THE FIRST LETTER

After leaving Mr. Ward I returned to my home in Long Street. There I
had plenty of time to consider this strange case uninterrupted by
either wife or children. My household consisted solely of an ancient
servant, who having been formerly in the service of my mother, had
now continued for fifteen years in mine.

Two months before I had obtained a leave of absence. It had still two
weeks to run, unless indeed some unforeseen circumstance interrupted
it, some mission which could not be delayed. This leave, as I have
shown, had already been interrupted for four days by my exploration
of the Great Eyrie.

And now was it not my duty to abandon my vacation, and endeavor to
throw light upon the remarkable events of which the road to Milwaukee
and the shore of New England had been in turn the scene? I would have
given much to solve the twin mysteries, but how was it possible to
follow the track of this automobile or this boat?

Seated in my easy chair after breakfast, with my pipe lighted, I
opened my newspaper. To what should I turn? Politics interested me
but little, with its eternal strife between the Republicans and the
Democrats. Neither did I care for the news of society, nor for the
sporting page. You will not be surprised, then, that my first idea
was to see if there was any news from North Carolina about the Great
Eyrie. There was little hope of this, however, for Mr. Smith had
promised to telegraph me at once if anything occurred. I felt quite
sure that the mayor of Morganton was as eager for information and as
watchful as could have been myself. The paper told me nothing new. It
dropped idly from my hand; and I remained deep in thought.

What most frequently recurred to me was the suggestion of Mr. Ward
that perhaps the automobile and the boat which had attracted our
attention were in reality one and the same. Very probably, at least,
the two mach