"Wait until I get my pocket-knife out," he smiled.
Rip! r-r-r-r-rip! As Ensign Eph tore open the mattress and thrust his
hands inside, the grin on his face broadened.
"I reckon we've got the object of the whole expedition," he announced.
He drew out a package wrapped in heavy paper. Jack broke the string,
unwrapping, and pulling out to the light, a bundle of charts, layer
upon layer.
"Yes. Here we have what we're after," nodded Lieutenant Benson. "And
here are two books written chock-full of notes to go with the charts.
Gracious! That fellow. Millard must have stolen plans of every
important fortified harbor on the Atlantic coast. And here are charts
of some of the gulf ports as well."
Gray, his wounds bound, had been laid on the door of the stateroom,
which had been taken from its hinges. On this stretcher, the prisoner
was taken over the side into the launch.
"Who's going to pay for the damage done here, sir?" asked the skipper
of the Cobtown schooner, stepping forward.
"Hm!" muttered Jack. "It seems to me you are lucky, my man, that we
don't put a prize crew aboard this craft and take you back to Norfolk.
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