alking in the car was none too easy. There was need
of haste if the special would catch the limited express at Albany. It
was evident that the engineer and fireman had no mind to fail in the
task set for them. The fireman gave steam a plenty, and the engineer
made use of it with seemingly reckless prodigality. The car swayed and
leaped with the excessive speed. On the curves, sometimes, it appeared
as if it must be thrown off the track, and Roy was compelled to cling
fast to his seat in order to avoid falling. But he felt no distress over
the rocking, lurching progress. Rather, he found a grim joy in it, since
it was haste, and always more haste, for which he longed.... And then,
at last, the special thundered into the Albany station and clanged to a
standstill. Roy breathed a sigh of relief. The limited express had not
yet pulled in.

He had time to make inquiry concerning telegrams, and found one awaiting
him from the Collector of the Port of New York. This simply stated that
no papers had been issued for the clearing of the yacht _Isabel_. The
message added that if the vessel had sailed it must have been stolen.
Just as he finished the reading of this dispatch, the operator handed
him a second telegram--one from the detective agency. It announced that
their best operative would meet him in the terminal at the gate on the
arrival of the limited express in New York. There was a direction added
to the effect that the operative might be recognized by his standing
apart from the crowd and wearing two white carnations in the lapel of
his coat.

Arriving at the Grand Central terminal, Roy walked rapidly to the exit
gate. His eyes roamed for a moment over the passing throng in search of
the man with the boutonniere of white carnations, and presently picked
him out where he stood a little apart. Roy hurried to him, and made
himself known. At once then the two men left the station and crossed
over to the Biltmore, where they took seats in the lobby for a
conference.

Jack Scott, the detective, had won fame for his agency by his masterly
work in solving the problems of many skilful jewel robberies among the
wealthy residents of the metropolis. He yet lacked some years of thirty,
but his reputation was already of the highest among those who knew what
his occupation was. For, as a matter of fact, the young man was of old
Knickerbocker stock, and the inheritor of wealth. He had a genius for
detective work and a love of the call