"Wait a minute, Bob," said Howe. "No blackmailing stunts while we stay?" "Well--I shouldn't call them that--" "No blackmailing stunts?" "No--I promise." "Harry," wailed the militant O'Neill. "What's the matter with you? We ought to thrash him--now--and--" "Go back on the road?" Howe inquired. "A hundred dollars each, Bob. It means New York in a parlor car." "Then you will stay?" cried Gonzale. "Yes,--we'll stay," said Howe firmly. "See here--" pleaded O'Neill. "Oh, what's the use? This dolce far niente has got us." "We stay only on the terms you name," stipulated Howe. "It is agreed," said Gonzale, smiling wanly. "The loss of those letters cost me a thousand dollars--and you stood by. However, let us forgive and forget. Here--Madame On Dit's copy for to-morrow." Timidly he held out a roll of paper toward O'Neill. "All right." O'Neill snatched it. "But I'm going to edit it from now on. For instance, there's a comma I don't like. And I'm going to keep an eye on you, my hearty." "As you wish," said Gonzale humbly. "I--I am going out for a moment." The door closed noiselessly behind him. Howe and O'Neill stood looking at each other. "Well--you had your way," said O'Neill, shamefacedly. "I don't seem to be the man I was. It must be the sunshine and the posies. And the thought of the road again." "A hundred each," said Howe grimly. "We had to have it, Bob. It means New York." "Yes." O'Neill pondered. "But--that good-looking young fellow, Harry--the one who apologized to us for calling us blackmailers--" "Yes?" "I'd hate to meet him on the street to-morrow. Five days. A lot could happen in five days--" "What are your orders, Chief?" asked Howe. At that moment Minot, followed by Paddock was rushing triumphantly into the Harrowby suite. He threw down on the table a package of letters. "There they are!" he cried. "I--" He stopped. "Thanks," said Lord Harrowby wildly. "Thanks a thousand times. My dear Minot--we need you. My man has been to the theater--Trimmer is organizing a mob to board the _Lileth_!" "Board the _Lileth_?" "Yes--to search for that creature who calls himself Lord Harrowby." "Come on, Jack," Minot said to Paddock. They ran down several flights of stairs, through the lobby, and out into the street. "Where to?" panted Paddock. "The harbor!" Minot cried. As they passed the opera-house they saw a crowd forming and heard the buzz of many voices. CHAPTER XIII "AND ON THE SHIPS AT SEA" Mr. Paddock knew of a man on the water-front who had a gasoline launch to rent, and fortunately it happened to be in commission. The two young men leaped into it, Paddock started the engine, and they zipped with reassuring speed over the dark waters toward the lights of the _Lileth_.