Aunt Jane's Nieces Out West
In that case the picture will clear me of suspicion."
"Precisely. I shall now go and wire New York for the information I
need."
"Can't you get it of Le Drieux?" asked the young man.
"Perhaps so; I'll try. But it will be better to get the date from the
steamship agent direct."
With this they shook the boy's hand, assuring him of their sympathy and
their keen desire to aid him, and then hurried away from the jail.
CHAPTER XXII
MASCULINE AND FEMININE
Uncle John and the girls, after consulting together, decided to stop at
the Hollywood studio and pick up Flo and Mrs. Montrose.
"It would be a shame to visit that lovely yacht without them," said
Patsy; "and we were all invited, you know."
"Yes, invited by a host who is unavoidably detained elsewhere," added
Uncle John.
"Still, that yacht is very exclusive," his niece stated, "and I'm sure we
are the first Americans to step foot on its decks."
They were all in a brighter mood since the interview at the jail, and
after a hurried lunch at the hotel, during which Maud related to the
others the morning's occurrences, they boarded the big Merrick
seven-passenger automobile and drove to Santa Monica Bay. Louise couldn't
leave the baby, who was cutting teeth, but Arthur and Beth joined the
party and on arrival at the beach Uncle John had no difficulty in
securing a launch to take them out to the _Arabella_.
"They won't let you aboard, though," declared the boatman. "A good
many have tried it, an' come back disjointed. There's something queer
about that craft; but the gov'ment don't seem worried, so I guess it
ain't a pirate."
The beauty of the yacht grew on them as they approached it. It was
painted a pure white in every part and on the stern was the one word:
_Arabella_, but no name of the port from which she hailed. The ladder was
hoisted and fastened to an upper rail, but as they drew up to the smooth
sides a close-cropped bullet-head projected from the bulwarks and a gruff
voice demanded:
"Well, what's wanted?
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There was once a king who was very powerful. He had great influence over the wild beasts and animals. Now the tortoise was looked upon as the wisest of all beasts and men. This king had a son named Ekpenyon, to whom he gave fifty young girls as wives, but the prince did not like any of them. The king was very angry at this, and made a law that if any man had a daughter who was finer than the prince's wives, and who found favour in his son's eyes, the girl herself and her father and mother should be killed.
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