have my suspicions. I can be sure of
nothing until I get back home. I am afraid I may be too late then. But
the firm of ship-builders, of whom Alfred Thornton's father is a
member, offered me two hundred thousand dollars to sell the secret of
my torpedo-boat destroyer to them, instead of giving it to my
government. A short time before I left Old Point I refused their offer,
made through Alfred Thornton. I am sure that the men on the train
drugged me, assured the conductor that they were my friends and that I
had been taken ill. They were allowed to take me off the train. Of
course, the rest of their work was easy."

"But I don't see what good the little model of your boat could do any
one," said Madge.

Jimmy smiled rather grimly. "It is hard to understand, I know," he
agreed. "You are awfully good to let me tell you my troubles. But don't
you see that the ship-building firm might, by fraud, get out a patent
on my little boat and build dozens of them before I am heard from. Once
they have patented my invention it would be difficult, indeed, to get
it away from them. Even with the government to back me it would take
years of fighting. And I don't know how long it may take me to build
another model."

Eleanor felt dreadfully sorry. She did not understand the Lieutenant's
explanation. But patents and inventions and any other kind of business
discussion were a mystery to her.

Madge and Miss Jenny Ann tried to look very wise. Phil slipped quietly
over to a far corner of the room. Lillian was half asleep.

"If you could get to Washington in time, with another model of your
boat, before that wicked business firm gets out its patent on the
stolen model, you might be able to prevent their securing the patent
after all, Lieutenant Jimmy?" questioned Madge earnestly, bringing her
brows together in a serious frown.

"Yes, if I were on the spot with the model, and the description of my
beautiful little boat, I think I could make things hum for the other
fellows," Jimmy agreed mournfully.

Phil came out of the dark corner that held her cherished trunk. She had
a box in her arms about a foot and a half long. It looked like a huge
box of candy, although it must have been very heavy from the way Phil
held it.

She put the box down before Lieutenant Jimmy. "Here is the box you gave
me to keep for you," she announced gravely. "I am still willing to take
care of it for you, but I wished you to know I still have it."

"Great Sc