On to Pekin/Chapter 10
CHAPTER X
ABOUT AN IMPORTANT LETTER
Jerry Nickerson found Nuggy Polk in another portion of the cabin, reading one of the books belonging to the ship's library.
"Come to our state-room," he said. "I have something important to tell you."
"What about?"
"About Gilbert Pennington."
Nuggy arose at once, and followed his companion to the state-room which had been assigned to them. The quarters were cramped; but they were much better than those occupied by the soldiers, who slept in long rows of canvas cots, suspended between uprights of "gas-piping," as the supports were commonly called. Only the colonel and the majors had private compartments: even the captains slept with their men.
When Nuggy heard what his chum had to tell, his face grew dark and full of bitter hatred.
"That makes it certain he is in a game against me and my father," he said. "Unless I take good care of myself, he will prove a regular snake in the grass. I wish I could pitch him overboard."
"You will have to be extra careful of what you say after this, Nuggy. If I were you, I wouldn't mention the Importing Company in his presence again."
"I won't."
"If he brings up the subject, treat it in an off-handed way, and try to convince him that everything is all right, and that you were fooling when you spoke about squeezing out those other people."
"Trust me to smooth it over—if I get the chance," responded Nuggy. "But I wish I could get hold of that letter he intends to send."
The next day slipped by without the young lieutenant and Polk coming into contact with each other. Gilbert had several important duties to attend to, and only saw Nuggy from a distance. In the evening Gilbert sat down in the cabin to write the letter to Ralph Branders.
It was no easy task to compose the epistle, for the young lieutenant hardly knew how to introduce the subject. But he had met Branders on the field of San Juan, and felt that he could trust the young and rising lawyer thoroughly; and he ended by relating his case from start to finish. He asked Branders to investigate, and promised to remunerate the lawyer as far as was within his means.
Nuggy saw Gilbert penning the letter, and watched him very much as a cat watches a mouse.
"I'd give a hundred dollars to get that letter from him," the young man said to himself. But how this could be accomplished without the young lieutenant being the wiser was a difficult problem to solve.
The letter finished, Gilbert placed it in the inner pocket of his coat, a garment which he wore at all times when on duty. Polk had hoped to see him place it in some corner or in the general mail-basket in the cabin, and was much disappointed.
The transport continued on her course until, late one afternoon, a small island to the eastward was sighted. It proved to be Ujise, about one hundred and ten miles directly south of Nagasaki.
"We'll reach Nagasaki to-morrow," said Captain Banner to Gilbert. "And I must say that I shall not be sorry to finish that much of the voyage."
"You are not much of a sea-dog, captain."
"It isn't that, Pennington: I am anxious to get into the fight,—if there is any fighting."
"Oh, so am I," replied Gilbert quickly. "I am curious to learn the latest news. I wonder if the Allies have moved on Tien-Tsin yet?"
"More than likely, since that lies between Taku and Pekin."
The day was cloudy, and toward midnight the wind came up strongly. As the course of the transport was now along numerous islands and between dangerous reefs, she had to proceed slowly and with caution.
For some reason Gilbert had a headache, and retired early. As was usual, he slipped off only his coat and shoes, placing the former under his pillow.
Although he did not know it, his movements were closely watched by Nuggy Polk, who had made up his mind that he must obtain possession of the letter, were such a thing possible. As the hour was early, there were but few soldiers below. So the coast was comparatively clear.
Almost holding his breath, for fear of awakening the sleeper, Nuggy approached Gilbert on tiptoe, and made certain that the young lieutenant was in the land of slumber. Slowly he pulled the coat from under the pillow, and inserted his hand in the pocket.
The letter was there, along with several unimportant papers, and with a skill worthy of a better cause the young man brought them forth and thrust them into his own pocket. This done, he left the berth deck silently and swiftly, and made his way to his state-room.
"By Jove! Nuggy, you look scared," cried Jerry Nickerson, as he entered. "What has happened?"
"Hush!" Nuggy held up his hand warningly. "I just got that letter away from Pennington." And in a whisper he related how the deed had been accomplished.
"That was slick. But I'm afraid, when Pennington finds his letter missing, he'll write another in its place."
"He won't find anything missing," answered Nuggy, with a grin.
"Do you mean to say you are going to put the letter back?" demanded Nickerson, in astonishment.
"I'm going to put the envelope back—after I have refilled it with several sheets of blank paper."
"By Jove! Nuggy, you are getting slicker every day."
"Ralph Branders won't know where the blank paper came from, and of course he won't do anything. In the mean time I will send the letter to my father, with the full particulars of all I have learned; and, when Pennington makes his next move, we'll be more than ready for him."
With great care Nuggy Polk opened the letter addressed to the Richmond lawyer, being cautious not to tear the envelope. Once open, the closely written pages inside were abstracted; and then the envelope was refilled with pages from a blank writing pad, after which it was sealed up once more as before.
When Nuggy revisited the berth deck, he found Gilbert sleeping as sound as ever. Hurrying up, he began to place the letter in the young lieutenant's coat.
As mentioned before, the wind was rising. Consequently, the transport was not riding as easily as earlier on the trip. Just as Nuggy placed his hand in the coat, a lurch of the vessel sent him with a bump into one of the uprights supporting Gilbert's cot, and then landed him flat on his back in the passageway.
"Oh!" cried the young man, and scrambled to his feet as quickly as possible. But the rolling of the ship and the noise made by Nuggy awoke Gilbert on the instant.
"What's the matter?" cried the young lieutenant, and sat up, staring around him. Before he could get to his feet, Nuggy Polk was making off down the dim passageway, which was illuminated by only a few incandescent lights.
"Phwat's the matter, lieutenant?" came from Dan Casey, who was dozing on the edge of his cot, not far off.
"That man—what was he doing here?" demanded Gilbert.
"Sure, an' I dunno. Stop there!" cried Casey. But Nuggy only ran the faster, and in a few seconds disappeared from view.
"I believe he was at my coat," went on Gilbert, as he picked the garment from the floor. Under the coat lay the documents and the sealed envelope. 
Nuggy Polk was making off down the dim passageway.—Page 98.
"Well, if he was after anything, he didn't get it," he added, as he placed the things in the pocket and put the coat under his pillow again. "I wonder who it was?"
"Sames to me it was the feller that was talkin' to Stummer the other day,—that sport av a young man."
"You mean Mr. Polk?" demanded Gilbert.
"I don't know his handle, but the feller as was askin' about you."
"That is the man I mean." Gilbert's brow grew clouded. "If that was the man, he was up to no good."
"Is he down on you, lieutenant?"
"I have every reason to believe he is, although I don't care to talk about it."
"Do ye suppose he was afther stalin' somethin'?"
"I can't say what he was after, Dan. But I wish he would keep his distance after this."
"Perhaps ye had better be afther reportin' him."
"No, I'll keep my eyes open; and I reckon that will be enough."
Gilbert sank back to rest again, but it was a long while before he fell asleep. He wondered if Nuggy Polk had been after the letter. "If he was, he didn't get it," he told himself; "and I'll take good care that he doesn't get another chance at it."
When Nuggy Polk reached his state-room, he was almost out of breath and as white as a sheet. Coming inside, he locked the door, and began to pull off his clothing with all possible speed.
"What's up now?" questioned Nickerson.
"The roll of the boat upset me, and I woke the lieutenant up," was the low answer. "I don't know but that they are after me. Keep quiet; and, if they come here, we'll pretend we are asleep, and have been for over an hour."
Nuggy soon had his shoes and clothing off; and, still trembling with excitement, he crept into his bunk, and lay there in silence, listening for a knock on the door. But the minutes went by, and nobody came; and at last he breathed easier.
"They didn't spot me, after all," he chuckled. "I reckon I was too quick for them."
"Did you return the bogus letter?" asked his companion.
"Yes."
"Then you are safe on the writing question?"
"Sure. Pennington won't suspect a thing, and of course Branders won't know where the blank sheet came from. The first move in this game is entirely in my favor," concluded Nuggy; and, much satisfied with himself, he rolled over, and was soon in the land of dreams.