CHAPTER XXII.
A MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE.
"You are sure of it, aren't you?"
Herc asked the question as they gained the street.
"Certain," replied Ned; "no mistaking that underhung jaw and heavy browof friend Silas."
"Or that lady-like simper of the rascal Schultz. Ned, I feel that weare on the verge of big discoveries."
"Why?"
"I don't know; it's in the air--like electricity."
"Well, they'll have to hurry along--those big discoveries of yours, Imean," laughed Ned; "for it's ten-thirty now, and the shore boats willbe at the float at eleven-thirty."
"That's an hour," responded Herc, "and many a big battle has beenfought and won in that time. By Hookey!" he broke off suddenly, "didyou see those two fellows who just passed?"
"I saw two rather fleshy men in evening clothes hurry by in thedirection of the hotel. Why?"
"Did you recognize them?"
Ned laid a hand on Herc's shoulder and wheeled the red-headedDreadnought Boy about.
"Say, Herc, what's the matter with you to-night? You've gotrememberitis, or some similar disease. Who are you going to recognizenext?"
"I don't know; likely to run into Gran'pa Zack, if this keeps up. Thosetwo fellows were the same pair of worthies we yanked out of the seatsthat day in the subway."
Herc chuckled at the recollection.
"No?"
"Yes."
"The Pulsifer Gun people. The concern that sells American-made guns toforeign powers?"
"That's right."
"Are you sure?"
"As certain as I am that the two figures in that convict picture wereSilas and Schultz."
"If that is the case, we might just trail after them a little way.There's little danger of their recognizing us. I don't imagine thatthey are here, while the fleet is on battle practice and trying outnew guns, for any good or patriotic purpose."
"That's just my idea. Anyhow, they are going toward the hotel where allthat glare of light is. As we want to have a peep at the festivitiesanyway, we might as well kill two birds with one stone."
"I agree with you. Come on."
The two Dreadnought Boys wheeled about and began to follow the coursetaken by the red-faced, be-diamonded men they had last encountered sostrangely in New York.
As they had guessed, the pair they were shadowing went directly to thehotel--the front of which bore a brilliantly illuminated set-piece,formed of hundreds of red, white and blue incandescents, the wholeforming a representation of the Stars and Stripes. Instinctively thetwo lads saluted the colors, and then passed up the broad wooden stepson to a capacious veranda.
Through windows opening on to it they could see the long dinner-tables,at which, the meal concluded, officers and civilians now sat listeningto the more or less complimentary speeches of the citizens anddignitaries of Guantanamo.
"Looking at the big wigs, eh?"
The boys turned.
Behind them stood old Tom. The boys greeted him warmly.
"Coming down the street? I want to buy a few gim-cracks for the kids athome."
The lads shook their heads. For reasons of their own they were anxiousto remain about the hotel till they caught a further glimpse of the twored-faced men.
"I'll meet you here in half an hour then," suggested old Tom.
And so it was agreed. The old man-o'-warsman hurried off and left theboys standing behind one of the big palms, with which the veranda wasdecorated, discussing in low tones their next move.
But, as things turned out, it was not left to the boys to determinetheir actions of the immediate future.
A door leading from the banquet-room suddenly opened, and through theirleafy screen the boys spied the two red-faced men emerge. They wereaccompanied by a tall, distinguished-looking man, who wore a Van Dykebeard and was garbed in evening dress. He was smoking a cigar.
As the voices of the three fell on their ears, the boys gave a start.
One of the red-faced men had addressed their ill-matched companionas "Varian." The boys at the same instant recognized the inventor ofChaosite and the untried gun for handling the powerful explosive, fromthe picture they had seen of him in the papers.
Eagerly Ned and Herc listened to catch the drift of their talk, butthe three spoke in low tones. Suddenly in a heightened voice, however,one of the red-faced men suggested that they should seek the garden tosmoke their cigars.
"You will really enjoy seeing the grounds here, Varian, if you have notdone so," said Dave Pulsifer persuasively; "and under this moon theyare one of the most beautiful sights the tropics have to offer."
"I should like it above all things, gentlemen," responded Variancordially, "and in the coolness we can talk over the proposition yousay you have to make."
The three, chatting easily, passed down the steps and strolled downa smooth path which led round the corner of the hotel and into thetropical gardens, which reached for a considerable area behind it.
"_The proposition you have to make._"
The words rang in Ned's ears.
Could it be possible that Henry Varian, whose invention was alreadypledged to the United States navy, was dealing with one of the foreignpowers represented by the Pulsifers for its purchase?
There was only one way to learn if the navy was dealing with a traitor.Ned decided in a flash to adopt it.
"Come on, Herc," he whispered. "We've got to follow them and hear whatthey are talking about."
"But we shall be eavesdropping," objected Herc.
"Yes; _eavesdropping for the flag_," snapped Ned in a low, tense tone,as, with a swift glance about him, he dropped over the rail of theveranda and on to the soft ground beneath. He landed as noiselessly asa cat.
Herc followed him, but was not so successful. In fact, as he struck theground with a crash, he ejaculated:
"Ouch!" in a loud, startled tone.
Luckily a burst of applause from within, at some sentiment expressedby one of the speech-makers, drowned his exclamation. Ned, in an angrywhisper, demanded to know what was the matter with his red-headedcompanion.
"Gee whitakers! I dropped into a porcupine, I think," moaned Herc. "Ifeel like a human pin-cushion."
Ned looked at his chum, and then, serious as was the situation, hecould not help breaking into a low laugh.
"Herc, you poor fellow, I'm sorry for you," he exclaimed. "You'vetumbled into a cactus-bush."
"Oh, is that it?" rejoined Herc. "Well, whatever it is, I can't walktill I get some of these stickers out of me. You go ahead, Ned, andI'll meet you here in half an hour when Tom gets back."
And so it was agreed that Herc was to await Ned's return and employ thetime in extracting what he called "stickers."
"Good-bye, Herc," said Ned, under his breath, as he slipped offcautiously, avoiding moonlit spots and dodging along in the blackshadows.
"So long," muttered Herc, as he painfully made toward the hotel steps."If ever I get these things out of me," he added to himself, "I'llnever put a tack in any one's chair again. I know just how it feelsnow. I'm full of that tack-tus, or whatever you call it."
With the aid of a grinning colored bell-boy, Herc soon got rid ofmost of his "bristles." By the time old Tom arrived at the appointedmeeting-place he was comparatively comfortable once more.
"Where's Ned?" demanded the old salt, gazing about him, as Herc greetedhim.
"Oh, he'll be here in a minute. He just went off to talk to some oldfriends--or rather acquaintances," responded Herc lightly. "He'll behere immediately or sooner."
But Ned was not "here" in a few minutes or in many minutes.
Impatiently the two--the Dreadnought Boy and the oldblue-jacket--awaited his coming, but the lad did not appear.
Eleven o'clock struck and no Ned.
The quarter past the hour chimed on the hotel clock and jackies ontheir way to the boat-landing began to hurry by.
But of Ned there had been no sign.
The Dreadnought Boys on Battle Practice Page 22
