Jack Haydons Quest | Page 9

information may be gleaned
from them which would give us a basis to go to work upon."
"It's no good stopping here," said Risley. "When shall we start?"
"To-night," said Jack, and, being near the station, they turned in to look
up the time of the fast express. Jack glanced along the platform, and
soon found what he sought, one of Cook's interpreters. "I want to ask
some questions of the booking-clerk," he said to the man, slipping
several lire into his hand, "you might come and interpret for me."
"Yes, sir," said the man at once, and followed the tall young
Englishman to the office. In three minutes Jack had learned what he
wished as to the shortest route and fastest trains; then he and Risley set
out to return to the hotel. Suddenly Jack remembered another point, and
crying, "Half-a-minute, Buck," he rushed back to the office. He thrust
open a swing door and saw that the interpreter was still there, and was
now in conversation with a smaller man. Jack stepped forward, and the
smaller man looked up and gave a short, quick cry of alarm. For a
second Jack stood with widely-opened eyes and parted lips, an image
of wild surprise. Then darting forward at full speed, he seized the
second man by the throat, and clutched him as a lion clutches his prey.
CHAPTER III.
THE BIG RUBY.
Jack had known the fellow at once, had recognised him instantly as the
small, dark man who had stood in front of him upon Rushmere Heath
and demanded that he should produce his father's letter. An instant
conviction had darted into Jack's mind that these things were connected,
and that this man knew something of his father's disappearance.
"I've got you this time," cried Jack, and was upon him in a second. But

a most astonishing thing happened. The small, slight man offered no
resistance to Jack's fierce rush, instead, he seemed to give way before it
as a reed gives way before the wind. Then he bent slightly and laid one
small, sinewy hand on Jack's knee, and, in some mysterious fashion or
another, the lad felt that his hold was torn away, and that he was flying
through the air over the little man's head. All in a heap Jack landed on
the dusty floor. As he fell, he caught a glimpse of Buck's head thrust
through the swinging door as he followed his young leader, and saw the
look of surprise on Buck's face.
"Seize him!" roared Jack, and Buck darted forward as the dark stranger
shot through another door and vanished into a crowd which swarmed
on to the platform from a train which had just drawn up. Jack gathered
himself together, and sprang to his feet, and rushed after his companion.
He soon found Buck, who was hurrying through the groups, looking
about on every hand, and they searched together, but searched in vain;
the mysterious stranger had gone to earth safely amid the ample cover
provided by the mass of bustling passengers. At last they pulled up and
looked at each other.
"No go," said Jack, "he's lost in the crowd. He may be far enough away
by now."
Buck's look of wonder and surprise was striking to behold.
"See here, Jack," he said, laying his hand on his companion's arm.
"How in thunder do you come to know Saya Chone, and jump on him
at sight like a hawk droppin' on a chicken?"
"You know him, Buck?" cried Jack. "You know his name?"
"Know him all right," replied Buck. "But what under the sun is he
doing this distance from home? What brings Saya Chone in Brindisi?
The last time I set eyes on him he was coming into Mogok with a little
bag of rubies to sell to U Saw, the chap they call the Ruby King."
"He comes from Burmah, where you have been?"

"Sure thing," said Buck, nodding his head. "He's a half-caste. Says his
father was a British officer, and prides himself on talking Number One
English."
"He talked English as easily as we do," said Jack, "but with an odd
click of the tongue."
"That's the native strain in him," returned Buck. "But where did you run
up against him and hear his English?"
Jack told his story quickly, and Risley listened with a knitted brow of
attention.
"Say, there's business at the back o' this," murmured Buck, "but where
it fits in beats me at the moment. We don't know enough, Jack, to be
sure which way we're moving."
"We do not, Buck, you are quite right," replied the lad, "and we'll make
a bee-line for London and see the firm for whom father was working."
"Let's go and see what tar-brush was talking to the