it is surprising how
naturally and absentmindedly one may convey a perfectly intelligible
message to a man sitting within a reasonable distance. When the man is
alongside, the matter is absurdly simple.

Presently the man with the thick lenses got out his paper again, as if
bored by vistas such as no other city in the world can offer. His
paper was in the pocket which pressed against Bell. If in getting out
his newspaper he also abstracted a thick fat envelope from Bell's
pocket and placed it in his own, and if all this took place under a
sign--even in the section reserved for _cavalhieros_ of approved
raiment--solemnly warning passengers against "_batadores de
carteiras_," or pickpockets--well, it was an ironical coincidence
whose humor Bell did not see.

He was busily tapping out on his knee the briefest possible account of
what he had learned at Ribiera's _fazenda_ up country.

"_One chance for me_," he tapped off at the end. "_If I can kidnap
Ribiera I can make him talk. Somehow. He has big amphibian plane kept
fueled and ready for long trip. I think he is back in Rio to direct
hunt for me. Paula kidnapped. My job finished. On my own now._"

The man with thick spectacles did not nod. He seemed to be looking
idly at his paper, but it was folded at an article very discreetly
phrased, beneath a photograph of Senhor Teixeira Canalejas, Minister
of War, who had very unfortunately been found dead that morning. He
had been depressed, of late, but there were certain circumstances
which made it as yet impossible to determine whether he had killed
himself or was the victim of an assassin.

"_Getting set for me_," tapped Bell grimly on his knee. "_Ribiera told
me too much._"

* * * * *

The man with thick spectacles yawned and turned the paper over. Under
a smaller headline--which would only find a place on a Brazilian
sheet--"A Regrettable Incident"--an item of more direct importance was
printed. It told of an unnamed Senhor from the United States of the
North America, who as the guest of a widely known Brazilian gentleman
had behaved most boorishly, had stolen an airplane from his host and
broken it to bits on landing unskilfully, and had vanished with
priceless heirlooms belonging to his host. It read, virtuously:

No names are mentioned because the American Senhor has been
widely introduced in Rio society as a person with an
official status in Washington. It is under