They had time to go to a hotel and take tea. They had scarcely left the custom house officers before they were assailed by a swarm of newsboys crying their papers. “Eve-en-ing——” this, that, or the other. “Latest from the Perningsalar!” “Capture of the blockade runner _Argente_ by United States ship _Eagle_!” etc., etc. “Hi! Boy! Let us have a paper!” called Mr. Force, as they were swarming past him to a large group of men who were also just off the steamer, famishing for news and calling for venders. Two or three turned back. Mr. Force and the earl bought papers from all of them. At this moment the negro valet who had been sent for carriages came up with two. The papers were distributed to the members of the party and they entered the carriages, the four girls in the front carriage, and the four elders in the hind one—and read as they drove along. But, in fact, they learned nothing more from the papers than they had learned from the pilot, except that there were more details of the fight which ended in the capture of the privateer by the man-of-war. This word “privateer” always put the old skipper into a rage. “Privateer!” he exclaimed. “They might as well call an assassin a mere sneak thief. She is a pirate of the most devilish description. She took my unarmed _Kitty_. She seized her cargo. She sent her crew adrift in open boats in midocean. And I’ll hang all hands for it. I swear it!” “I don’t think you could hang a whole ship’s crew,” laughed Lord Enderby. “Well, may I be blowed from a cannon’s mouth myself if I don’t hang the head devil and his mate! That’s what I’m going to Washington for—to make my charge.” In good time they reached their hotel, took their tea, and sat down to rest and read the papers at their leisure before starting on their night journey. Here a little surprise met the whole party. When Mr. Force tendered a ten-dollar goldpiece in payment of his bill at the counter of the office, the coin was rung suspiciously on the board, then examined critically, and finally dropped into the till. And he was handed a ten-dollar greenback and a two-dollar greenback in exchange, with the information that he would find it all right, as gold was that day at one hundred and twenty per cent. premium. This information so astonished the simple squire that he did not recover himself until he had reached the railway station at Jersey City. The party arrived in full time to purchase their tickets and take their seats. CHAPTER XII ON TO WASHINGTON “Everybody is happy but me! Oh, Uncle Gideon, I have looked all over, up and down, and everywhere in the papers, and I cannot see one word about Roland! Oh, Roland! Roland!” moaned little Rosemary, as she sat on the seat beside the old skipper in the crowded car.