Jacob Farnum had already returned to the young stranger the twenty
dollars found in the envelope in his pocket. The boatbuilder had also
handed to Don Melville the envelope taken from him, after having
ascertained that it contained only blank paper.
As Mr. Farnum and Captain Jack again turned into the street they
encountered David Pollard, rushing along and looking much excited.
"Oh, here you are," burst from the inventor. "I've been looking for you
everywhere, since you were not at home. Two things of the utmost
importance have happened."
"Some other things, also, of which I do not believe you yet know,"
smiled the boatbuilder. "But let's have your news, first, Dave."
"A thief, dressed in a uniform very much like Jack's, and of the same
size and similar build to our captain, broke into my room and stole the
drawings for the automatic closer for the torpedo tube," hastened on the
inventor, almost breathlessly. "I fired a shot at him, from my window,
but he escaped."
"We know the fellow, I guess," nodded Jacob Farnum, "and we know he
disposed of some blank paper to-night. But I did not know your drawings
had been stolen."
"Say," broke in Jack Benson, thoughtfully, "do you remember the two
holes in the right side of the fellow's coat?"
"Yes, I do," rejoined the boatbuilder.
"Probably he's the same fellow. A bullet, passing through his coat,
might have made those two holes without touching his body.
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