couple of hundred Havana cigars. I gave the old man the cigars and a receipt for the rest of the lot, as agent for the company, and locked the stuff up in my private quarters. "I never had a pleasanter trip than that one. After we got to sea the young lady turned out to be the jolliest ever. The very first time we sat down to dinner, and the steward filled her glass with champagnethat director's yacht was a regular floating WaldorfAstoria- she winks at me and "What's the use says, to borrow trouble, Mr. Fly Cop? Here's hoping you may live to eat the hen that scratches on your grave.' There was a piano on board, and she sat down to it and sung better than you give up two cases to hear plenty times. She knew about nine operas clear through. She was sure enough bon ton and swell. She wasn't one of the 'among others present' kind; she belonged on the special mention list! "The old man, too, perked up amazingly on the nd a old t, as my After jolli ner, e dorf use you ave.' to it hear clear well. ind; the me the much trouble. Guard well the grip "The honour of a word with you, sir, to e "He and the chief went into another ro stayed ten minutes? When they came back t looked as black as a ton of coal. "Did this gentleman,' he says to me, 'h valise in his possession when you first saw hin "He did,' said I. "Allow me to present,' he goes on, 'Señor Miraflores, president of the republic of Anchuria. The señor has generously consented to overlook this outrageous blunder, on condition that we undertake to secure him against the annoyance of public comment. It is a concession on his part to overlook an insult for which he might claim international redress. I think we can gratefully promise him secrecy in the matter.' "They gave him a pink nod all round. "O'Day,' he says to me. 'As a private detective you're wasted. In a war, where kidnapping governments is in the rules, you'd be invaluable. Come down to the office at eleven.' "I knew what that meant. "So that's the president of the monkeys,' says I "Well, why couldn't he have said so?' "Wouldn't it jar you?" |