"There you've got me. My Marconi man says the balloon part was like any other balloon; but the passenger car was a new business to him. It could be driven against the wind." "Driven against the wind. Did you tell this to the other chaps?" "Don't think I did. Just remembered it. Probably some new invention; and now it's at the bottom of the sea. Two men, as I understand, went off in this contraption. One is gone for good." "For good," echoed the reporter gravely. "Gone for good, indeed, poor devil!" Norton took out a roll of bills. "There's two hundred in this roll." "Well?" said the captain, vastly astonished. "It's yours if you will do me a small favor." "If it doesn't get me mixed up with the police. I'm only captain of a tramp; and some of the harbor police have taken a dislike to me. What do you want me to do?" "The police will not bother you. This man Hargreave had some enemies; they want either his life or his money; maybe both. It's a peculiar case, with Russia in the background. He might have laid the whole business before the police, but he chose to fight it out himself. And to tell the truth, I don't believe the police would have done any good." "Heave her over; what do you want me to do for that handsome roll of money?" "If any man or woman who is not a reporter comes to pump you tell them the man went ashore with a packet under his arm." "Tie a knot in that." "Say the man was gray-haired, clean-shaven, straight, with a scar high up on his forehead, generally covered up by his hair." "That's battened down, my lad. Go on." "Say that you saw him enter yonder warehouse, and later depart without his packet." "Easy as dropping my mudhook." "That's all." Norton gave the captain the money. "Good-by and many thanks." "Don't mention it." Norton left the slip and proceeded to the office of the warehouse. He approached the manager's desk. "Hello, Grannis, old top!" The man looked up from his work surlily. Then his face brightened. "Norton? What's brought you here? Oh, yes; that balloon business. Sit down." "What kind of a man is the captain of that old hooker in the slip?" "Shifty in gun running, but otherwise as square as a die. Looks funny to see an old tub like that fixed up with wireless; but that has saved his neck a dozen times when he was running it into a noose. Not going to interview me, are you?" "No. I'm going to ask you to do me a little favor." "They always say that. But spin her out. If it doesn't cost me my job, it's yours." "Well, there will be a person making inquiries about the mysterious aeronaut. All I want you to say is, that he left a packet with you, that you've put it in that safe till he calls to claim it." Grannis nibbled the end of his pen. "Suppose some one should come and demand that I open the safe and deliver?" "All you've got to do is to tell them to show the receipt signed by you."