Secretary of State for
foreign affairs?"

There was no answering this question; so Dick started off for London,
while the rest busied themselves with preparations for a continental
trip.

Within forty-eight hours they were crossing the Channel; six hours
later they had entered Paris, where they took a brief rest, and then
continued their journey towards Marseilles.

For just as they were starting Harkaway received a telegram from the
consul at Marseilles--

"Come as soon as you possibly can, or you may be too late."

Need it be said that, after such a message, they lost no time in
speeding to their destination?

CHAPTER CIII.

MONSIEUR HOCQUART CLERMONT DELAMARRE--THE COINER AT HOME.

But what had the consul and the governor of the gaol been doing all
this time?

When the consul first called upon the governor of the gaol, that
official tried to laugh off the matter.

"Surely," said the governor, "you don't believe the tale these young
fellows tell?"

"I am more than half inclined to do so, if only from the fact that the
writer of this appears to have written several other letters which have
miscarried. But why, may I ask, was I not informed that some of my
countrymen had been arrested?"

"Well, my dear sir, their story seemed to me so absurd, that I did not
think it worth while to trouble you."

"But they asked to see me."

"True."

"And I fear as you did not forward their request, I shall be obliged to
mention your name, to our ambassador in Paris."

"For Heaven's sake do not! If such a thing were known to the minister
of justice, I should lose my situation at once."

"Then if I am silent on this matter, you must render me every
assistance in finding out the truth about these prisoners."

"Willingly. What can I do?"

"I should like to see the youth who calls himself Harkaway; but first
of all, where is the gaoler who usually has charge of these prisoners?"

"Gone to his home, monsieur. The ordinary officials are, as you are
doubtless aware, replaced by a military guard, between sunset and
sunrise."

"Good, then oblige me by bringing him here."

So young Jack was brought into the presence of the consul, who closely
questioned him as to what he had been doing in Marseilles.

He told the truth, and, in spite of the severe cross-examination by the
governor and the consul, stuck to his tale.

"Humph!" said the consul. "You are consistent, at all events. Well, for
the present, you ma