ouldn't have noticed it only for
his anxiety to cover it up when I was standing there, and I just caught
this much--'San Mat--'"

"Why do you think it meant San Matteo?"

"Because San Matteo is just the place that would suit Broome for his
purpose. There is scarcely anyone living around there. It's about three
or four days' journey by land and about two by water, so Broome can give
the Senor a couple of days start and see if he makes any attempt to
evade the conditions, and still be there to meet him on time."

"I see, you have a long head, Jim, but what is to prevent Broome from
getting the ransom and still keeping the girl?"

"You and I."

"Humph!" returned the engineer, "that looks to me like a pretty big
contract we are taking up."

"It is," responded Jim, "but we have got to carry it through."

"It looks to me," went on the engineer, "as if we were going to be
pretty busy for the next few days."

"And the sooner we get started, the better," added Jim.

Leaving the restaurant, Jim and the chief engineer walked leisurely to
the corner, where they stood for a few minutes, ostensibly watching the
hurrying crowd of people on the street, but nevertheless keeping a
watchful eye for anyone who might be dogging their footsteps.

"Seen anything of that imp of darkness?" asked the engineer.

"No," replied Jim, "he isn't anywhere in sight, but I don't believe he
is very far away."

"Can't we shake him off some way?"

"That's rather doubtful, but we can lead him a merry chase."

"That's something. What's the plan?"

"We will walk down the street," explained Jim, "as if we had no
particular purpose in view, then we will separate, and you will go one
way and I the other. Then, unless, as Tom says, 'he is two gintlemen in
wan,' and can go both ways, he won't know which one of us to follow."

"Trust him for that," said the chief engineer, "he's sure to follow
you."

"So much the better," returned Jim. "I think I'll manage to keep him
busy for the rest of the afternoon."

"What do you want me to do?"

"You can go down to the maritime exchange, and see if you can learn of
something in the way of a yacht that will serve us until we can get the
Sea Eagle back. One to buy or hire, whichever is offered. You know what
we want."

"All right. I guess I can locate something."

"Meantime," continued Jim, "I will go up the bay and look over anything
in the harbor. That will puzzle Manuel if he is after me."

They s