Jack Haydon's Quest

He broke open the envelope and read the contents in growing surprise and wonder. Then a look of uneasiness came into his eyes. It was a cablegram from Brindisi, and ran, "Come at on

, Haydon?" ask

have got as far as Brindisi on their way home. I feel wretchedly un

There is no word of ill-news here. The

k. "I know my way about the Continent very well

Lawrence. "Have you plenty of

lied Jack. "I shall go there to Mr. Buxton, my father's friend, who

e distance on its hill, and the strip of heath country running up to the foot of the slope. This brought to mind his adventure, which remained as mysterious an affair as ever. The police had been most active, stations had been watched, inquiries had been made in every direction, but all to no result. The Thugs had vanished and left no trace behind.

on's eyes. His profession of mining engineer had carried him into many wild corners of the world, and the store of marvellous tales which he would pour forth for the boy's delight had made Jack's holidays a time of intense pleasur

e in London, where he expected to get further news from Mr. Buxton. But he was destined to learn something long before he saw Mr. Buxton. The express screamed into an important junction

the accounts of his beloved sport failed to interest him, and he turned the paper over listlessly, idly scanning one big shee

eyes darted over the paragraph, and he drew a long, gasping breath. This, then, was the explanation of the cablegram. Over and over again Jack

E DISAP

OWN CORR

isi, T

d it was believed that he intended to travel to England by the mail-train. He went for a walk on Sunday evening, but did not return to his hotel, whe

, this extraordinary disappearance. Thomas Haydon was the last man in the world to set tongues wagging and to give anxiety to friends by such a trick. There was something very stran

omething to clear up this strange mystery which had gathered about his father's name. At last, with a thrill of joy, he heard the engine give its warning shriek as it ran into the big station. He had brought nothing but a Glad

ounded upstairs to the landing upon which Mr. Buxton's chambers opened. In answer to his knock, a tall, thin man with a long beard came to the doo

g hands. "I've been expecting you every knock

ily Telegraph. Are there any fur

the way into his sitting-room. "Th

ng? Do you know anythi

the other. "I'm altogether at sea. I can't fathom

r. Mr. Buxton read it aloud slowly, and nodded. "From Risley,

delay," said Jack. "Isn't t

iece, "but there's plenty of time for that. Sit down and t

ut a meal in the adjoining apartment: he gave Jack a chair beside

out of the common in this. My father has met with foul

aid. "This is the queerest thing I ever came across in my life. I've known Tom Haydon, boy and man, this forty-five years, and he's as straight as a gun-barrel. If they expect

s. "And I'm going to see why he

more leave London than the Monument can. I'm as fast by the leg, held by

r two in my pocket," said Ja

t over to his desk and ran his fingers through a bundle of papers. "Here it is," he remarked. "At the present moment your father is worth the respecta

o-night, Mr. Buxton. I can't lose a minute till

ion after all. One thing struck me. Has your father ever said anything about his health to you? You know he's been a great deal in India and Bur

mention such a thing," he said. "He's alway

im, too. He has a wonderful constitution. But, you kno

hing. It was a very poor best, however, for he was too anxious to be on his way to be able to ea

e was a pretty useless thing, and, in their present state of ut

they had to spare before the train started, and, as the swift express glided out, M

e journey with the utmost speed, and chafed at every delay. At last the train ran into the station of Brindisi, and Ja

ddle-sized, stiff-built man of five a

Buck Risley, as they shook h

s?" snap

Buck gravely, "not a w

inted. He had been hoping to hear that something h

gave the name of the hotel. He did not speak till

he said. "I can't make a guess w

Wolf Clarion had introduced the English engineer to the local community as Professor Ha

Mogok country. At Mogok Buck had been seized with a sharp touch of fever, and had been compelled to remain in that famous mining town while Mr. Haydon went up country, accompanied only by a few natives who had been with h

imself, just as usual in ev

n't quite. There was somethin' on the

uxton's suggestion, bu

as he always was, right as a bull-frog in a swamp. No, it was a sort of anxiousnes

he remembered the perfectly equable

," replied Buck. "He seemed as keen on getting back to London as

You've been with my father twelve years now,

It was all one to the Professor, let things come how they might. But this time he seemed as if his only idea was to get back. Not that he said much about it. The most I ever heard

ly entered the door when the hotel clerk came forward with a cablegram. It wa

him," said Buck, handing the form to Jack. "Every day they wire,

id Jack. "I might have got some useful information fro

ome o' these Dagoes got him in a corner and went for

, "the police would have found something out before

ly and deep," he replied. "I've heard queer stories a

ome of the wilder parts of Calabria, but n

the bottom of it somewhere. The Professor ain't the sort o' m

as prevented from returning to the hotel, tha

easy till I've had a glimpse o' the Professor with his

h had opened and swallowed him. Absolutely the only thing out of the ordinary that the police could discover was that a fisherman's skiff was missing one night, and was found the next morning a couple of miles down the

m going back to London. I want to see Lane & Baumann. It's quite possible that some

g here," said Risley.

nced along the platform, and soon found what he sought, one of Cook's interpreters. "I want to ask some questions of

red 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