"How could they, when as you know I am not carrying a message to the French Government in connection with my father's invention? Neither have I a design of the new airplane stabilizer in my possession, no matter what they believe. Tell me what you found once you stepped inside the stateroom.'
"Oh, it is a sight to behold, Tom, with all your traps thrown around every which way for Sunday! They even ripped the lining of your steamer trunk in several places, trying to learn whether you could have hidden a paper under that. The fellow had to work like lightning, I guess, and couldn't afford to be particular. You'll certainly have to get that trunk fixed, once we land."
"I think I'd better go back with you and take a look," and Tom got to his feet. "Of course we can do nothing about it, because like as not no one saw the sneak thief enter or leave our room, and we couldn't very well accuse Potzfeldt of robbery on general principles."
"It makes me furious to know how our hands are tied," grumbled Jack; "because I hate a sneak like a skunk, and would like to see both of those fellows taken in hand by the British when we land. But I suppose they've fixed things so they'll be decently treated as friendly to the cause."
