cupants keenly. His
glances were met frankly by Ned and the officer, but Jimmie could not
resist an inclination to wrinkle his nose at him.

"Which is Ned Nestor?" the man asked, addressing the officer.

The marine pointed toward Ned.

"Do you know him to be Ned Nestor?" was the next question, and Ned
thought he felt a hostile spirit in the tone.

"Certainly I do, else I would not be here with him."

"This is important business of state," suggested the other, "and I have
to be cautious."

"Your conduct seems more like curiosity than caution," the officer
declared. "Have you the message with you?"

"Yes, but I can't deliver it except in the presence of the manager."

"Is it in the code of the Secret Service?" asked Ned.

"It is in some code unknown to me."

"If you don't deliver it in five minutes," declared the officer, "I
shall call the American consul!"

The official made no reply.

"You can read this code, I suppose?" he asked of Ned.

"Certainly."

"Well, I'll communicate with the manager, and if he says it is all right
I'll give you the message and take your receipt for it. Will that
answer?"

"It must, I suppose," replied the officer.

The obdurate official left the room.

"Gee, but it's close in here!" Jimmie declared, in a moment. "Seems
like a hop joint in Pell street."

"There is opium in the air," the officer said. "See if you can find a
window."

Jimmie found a window opening on a large court and lifted the lower
sash. Then he called to Ned.

"I don't like the looks of this," he said. "If they should try to hold
us here, what?"

"They won't do that."

"Oh, they won't tie us up, I guess," said the little fellow, "but they
may delay our departure."

"Go on," smiled Ned.

"An' communicate with the ginks that have been chasing us ever since we
left the submarine," concluded the boy.

"In time, Jimmie," Ned answered, "you may even get into the thinking
row. I have been wondering ever since we came in here if we were not
with enemies instead of friends."

"I can soon find out," declared Jimmie.

"Yes? How, may I ask?"

"I'll rush out into the other room an' try to get to the street. If
there's anythin' in the notion we have, they'll turn me back."

"You might try that," smiled Ned, and the officer clapped a hand on the
boy's shoulder and declared that he was a "brick."

So Jimmie hustled out into the front office. The listeners heard sharp
words, and then a slight