s locked!" she said.

"Oh, well! we will content ourselves with watching the Bay through the
port hole, and when one wants to turn around the other can crawl up in
her bunk. I'm going to write a book about this experience, some
time.--I wonder what Geoffrey and Colin are doing?" she
laughed--"running around like mad and stirring up the country, I
reckon."

XXI

THE JEWELS

Macloud went to New York on the evening train. He carried Croyden's
power of attorney with stock sufficient, when sold, to make up his
share of the cash. He had provided for his own share by a wire to his
brokers and his bank in Northumberland. A draft would be awaiting him.
He would reduce both amounts to one thousand dollar bills and hurry
back to Annapolis to meet Croyden.

But they counted not on the railroads,--or rather they did count on
them, and they were disappointed. A freight was derailed just south of
Hampton, tearing up the track for a hundred yards, and piling the right
of way with wreckage of every description. Macloud's train was twelve
hours late leaving Hampton. Then, to add additional ill luck, they ran
into a wash out some fifty miles further on; with the result that they
did not reach New York until after the markets were over and the banks
had closed for the day.

He wired the facts to Croyden. The following day, he sold the stocks,
the brokers gave him the proceeds in the desired bills, after the
delivery hour, and he made a quick get-away for Annapolis, arriving
there at nine o'clock in the evening.

Croyden was awaiting him, at Carvel Hall.

"I'm sorry, for the girls' sake," said he, "but it's only a day lost.
We will deliver the goods to-morrow. And, then, pray God, they be freed
before another night! That lawyer thief is a rogue and a robber, but
something tells me he will play straight."

"I reckon we will have to trust him," returned Macloud. "Where is the
Pinkerton man?"

"He is in town. He will be over on the Point in the morning, disguised
as a negro and chopping wood, on the edge of the timber. There isn't
much chance of him identifying the gang, but it's the best we can do.
It's the girls first, the scoundrels afterward, if possible."

At eleven o'clock the following day, Croyden, mounted on one of
"Cheney's Best," rode away from the hotel. There had been a sudden
change in the weather, during the night; the morning was clear and
bright and warm, as happens, sometimes, in Annapolis, in late Nove