"It's a bit of work to be proud of," said the head of the English
contingent.

"It is that," said the captain. "It has cleared away a cloud that might
have hung over this ship till the mystery was dispelled, which probably
would have been never."

Mr. Rosenstein, who had taken the diamonds from Jack, stood apparently
stupefied, holding them on his palm. Suddenly, however, to Jack's great
embarrassment, he threw both arms round the boy's neck and saluted him
on both cheeks. Then he rushed at Billy and finally the two firemen, who
dodged out of the way. Then he drew out a check book and began writing
rapidly. He handed a pink slip of paper to Jack. It was a check for
$5,000.

"A souvenir," he said.

"But--but----" began Jack, "we didn't do it for money. It was our duty
to the company and----"

"It's your duty to the company to take that check, then," laughed
Captain Turner, and in the end Jack did. The two firemen, who had helped
the boys, received a good share of it and later were promoted by the
company for their good work. As for Prof. Dusenberry and his companions,
they vanish from our story when, in custody of the detectives, they went
over the side a few minutes later. But Jack and Billy to-day have two
very handsome diamond and emerald scarf-pins, the gifts of the grateful
Mr. Rosenstein.

"Looks as if we are always having adventures of some kind or another,"
said Billy to Jack that evening as they strolled about the town, for the
ship would not sail for Cherbourg, her last port before the homeward
voyage, till the next day.

"It certainly does look that way," agreed Jack and then, with a laugh,
he added:

"But they don't all turn out so profitably as this one."

With which Billy agreed.

CHAPTER XXX.

THURMAN PLOTS.

It was two nights before the _Columbia_, on her homeward voyage, entered
New York harbor. On the trip across she had once more had the big
British greyhound of the seas for a rival. But this time there was a
different tale to tell. The _Columbia_ was coming home, as Billy Raynor
put it, "with a broom at the main-mast head."

All day the wireless snapped out congratulations from the shore. Jack
was kept busy transmitting shore greetings and messages from returning
voyagers who had chosen the finest ship under the stars and stripes on
which to return to the United States. Patriotism ran riot as every
bulletin showed the _Columbia_ reeling over two or three knots more an
hour