They shouted, but the ship's officers waved them back.
"Too late!" one of the deckhands shouted, a little pleased to see
that someone would be inconvenienced for tardiness.
The porters argued. But it was no use. All they could do was to
carry the box back to the Dodge car.
Miss Dodge was just getting in as they returned.
"What shall we do with this and the other stuff?" asked the Irish
porter.
She looked at the rest of the tagged luggage and the box which was
marked:
Scientific Instruments Valuable Handle with care.
"Here--pile them in here," she said indicating the taxicab. "I'll
take charge of them."
Meanwhile one of our sinister faced friends had just had time to
regain the shore after following us aboard ship and strolling past
the window of our stateroom. He paused long enough to observe one
of the occupants studying a map, while the other was opening a
bag.
"They're gone!" he said to the other as he rejoined him on the
dock, giving a nod of his head and a jerk of his thumb at the
ship.
"Yes," added the other crook, "and lost most of their baggage,
too."
. . . . . . . .
Slowly the Dodge car proceeded through the streets up from the
river front, followed by the taxicab, until at last the Dodge
mansion, was reached.
There Elaine and Aunt Josephine got out and Bennett stood talking
with them a moment.
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