The Iron Pirate

Book Excerpt: ...w, there will be fifty thousand pounds offered for knowledge of him before December comes upon us!"I looked at him as at one who dreams dreams, but he did not flinch."You meet the man in Paris?" I went on."To-night I shall be with him," he answered; "within three days I win all or lose all: for his secret will be mine. If I fail, it is for you to follow up the thread which I have unravelled by three years' hard work----""What sort of person do you say he is?" I continued, and he replied--"You shall see for yourself. Dare you risk coming with me--I meet him at eight o'clock?""Dare I risk!--pooh, there can't be much danger.""There is every danger!--but, so, the girl is waking!"It was true; Mary looked up suddenly as we thundered past the fortifications of Paris, and said, as people do say in such circumstances, "Why, I believe I've been asleep!" Roderick shook himself like a great bear, and asked if we had passed Chantilly; the Perfect Fool began h...