,
rather than a chase from behind!"

"Perhaps," answered Monty, "but the uncertainty does allure me. I always
enjoyed skating on thin ice, from the days of college when I loved to
get through a course of lectures on as little work as possible. The
satisfaction of 'getting away with it' against odds was so exhilarating.
I will return after my little dinner with Warren at the Club. Where will
you dine?"

"Your friend Dick Holloway is taking me to some restaurant where singing
and music may alter my refusal to him."

"Your refusal?" and Shirley shot a quick glance at the girl. Her dimples
appeared as she added: "Yes--he wants me to star in a little play for
the coming spring, but I have had such fun playing in real-life drama
that I said him nay."

"Oh," was all the criminologist said, but as he left, Helene's laugh
interpretated a little feminine satisfaction. Monty's mind was just
disturbed enough about the attitude of Dick Holloway to keep him from
worrying over the Warren case until he had reached the East River, near
the yacht club mooring.

There was the white yacht which had been mentioned in the purloined
book. It was a trim, speedy craft. The criminologist walked down a few
blocks to the office of a boat contractor with whom he had dealt on
bygone occasions.

"I want to engage a fast motor-boat, Mr. Manby," was his request. "The
speediest thing you've got. Keep it down at your dock, at Twenty-first
Street, with plenty of gasoline and a man on duty all the time, starting
with six o'clock to-night. I may need it at a minute's notice."

"I've got a hydroplane which I'll sell this spring to some yachtsman,"
said Manby. "It's a bargain--you can do forty miles an hour in it,
without getting a drop of spray. Shall I show it to you?"

"Yes, and the two men who you will have alternating on duty, so they
will know me when I come for it. I'll pay for every minute it is
reserved."

They soon came to terms; the men were introduced and Shirley was well
satisfied with the racing craft, which was moored according to his
directions, handy for a quick embarkation.

Then he went up to the Holland Agency. Cronin was disappointed in
his results with the telephone confederate. All of Warren's men were
close-mouthed, as though through some biting fear of swift and unerring
vengeance for "squealing." Even the prisoners in the station-house had
not volunteered to communicate with friends, as they were allowed to
do by law. T