" I asked.

"We carry enough for the whole journey, sir," the man answered. "I'll
have the car round at the front, sir, in a few minutes."

"Let's go up and change our clothes," Dalton said. "Remember we are
going to travel, Austen, especially up the north road. You will want
some thickish tweeds and an overcoat, although it seems so stifling
here."

I nodded.

"Right, Jacky!" I answered. "I'll be down in a quarter of an hour, or
twenty minutes at the most."

In less than half an hour we were off. It was only when the great car
swung from the avenue into the country lane that Jacky, who was
driving, turned toward me.

"By the bye," he asked, "what the devil are we going to Newcastle
for?"

I laughed.

"We are going to look at those new battleships, Jacky," I answered.

He stared at me.

"Are you in earnest?"

"Partly," I answered. "Let's say we are going for the ride. It's worth
it."

Dalton drew a long breath. We were rushing now through the silent
night, with a delicious wind, strong and cool, blowing in our faces.

"By Jove, it is!" he assented.

CHAPTER XXXI

AN INTERESTING DAY

It was a little after seven o'clock the next morning when we turned
into the courtyard of the County Hotel in Newcastle. Immediately in
front of us was the car in which we had seen Delora on the previous
afternoon. The chauffeur was at work upon it, and although he looked
up at our entrance, he paid no particular attention to us.

I blew through the whistle to Ferris.

"Back out of the yard at once," I said, "and go to another hotel."

Dalton looked at me in surprise.

"Forgive my ordering your chauffeur about," I said, as we glided
backwards into the street. "That's the car we've come up after, and I
don't want the people who travelled in it to know that we are on their
heels."

Dalton whistled softly.

"So we are on a chase, are we?" he asked. "You might tell me about it,
Austen."

"I can't," I answered. "It's altogether too indefinite. I shouldn't
tell you anything which would sound like common sense except
this,--that I am exceedingly curious, for several reasons, to know
what those two men who came up in that car have to do in Newcastle."

"Who are they?" Dalton asked.

"One is a rich Brazilian named Delora, and the other the Chinese
ambassador," I answered.

The names seemed to convey nothing to my companion, who merely
nodded. We had now arrived at the other hotel, and the prospects of
br