The Mystery Ship: A Story of the 'Q' Ships During the Great WarWesterman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)
General
The Mystery Ship: A Story of the 'Q' Ships During the Great War
Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)
World War, 1914-1918 -- Naval operations -- Juvenile fiction
It was Entwistle's way. Instead of asking if the clerk perchance
remembered the individual, he assumed that he already did so.
"Sure," replied Mr O'Donovon, after reading the duplicate message.
"It was a boy of twelve or about. Black hair and eyes and a Jewish
nose. He had a mole on his chin. I remember he gave me two pound
notes and I gave him half a crown change."
"I suppose by no possibility could you show me the notes? inquired
Entwistle.
"No, sir," replied Mr. O'Donovon. "That I can't. We put all notes
into a drawer. I call to mind that they were rather dirty, although
it's dirtier ones I've seen in Dublin."
"I thought not," remarked Entwistle. "Perhaps it's as well, for in
all probability you gave the lad half a crown for sending the
cablegram. If you've time you might examine the notes in that drawer.
Ten to one, you'll find two were printed in Germany. Now, will you
please send me a priority telegram--on H.M.S.--to Leith, Auldhaig,
and Wick; the latter to be transmitted by wireless to
Commander-in-Chief, Grand Fleet, Scapa Flow."
Having done all that he could possibly do to scotch von Preussen's
activities on the Continental cables, Entwistle prepared to follow up
the clues that would, he hoped, lead to the running to earth of the
cunning and resourceful spy.
His next step was to trace the boy with the Jewish features and the
mole on his chin. It was rather a tall undertaking, for, in spite of
the fact that there was a hideous massacre of Jews in York in the
remote days when Richard Coeur de Lion reigned, there seemed to be a
distinct predilection on the part of people of Hebraic origin to live
in the city that holds the position of capital of the Shire of Broad
Acres. Besides, many people have moles on their faces, and O'Donovon
might have been slightly wide of the mark in describing the mole as
being on the lad's chin. It might have been his cheek--either his
left or his right.
It was in Petergate, one of those narrow, old-world thoroughfares
leading to the Cathedral precincts that Entwistle came face to face
with the immediate object of his investigations. Sauntering towards
him was a young Jewish lad with a mole on the point of his chin.
Entwistle gave him no opening.
"I say, my lad," he exclaimed, holding out a bright half-crown to the
astonished youth, "I gave you the wrong change when you handed in
that telegram from Grabnut & Plywrench. Here you are."
The boy took the proffered coin eagerly. As Entwistle expected, he
devoted more attention to the coin than he did to the donor.
"He won't recognise me again," mused the Secret Service man as he
hurried away, leaving the boy testing the bright half-crown in case
he had been "had."
Swallowed up in the crowd, for Petergate was thronged, Entwistle
dived into a tobacconist's shop and made a small purchase, the while
keeping a sharp look-out upon the passers-by.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account