We found in its place a perfectly fresh one,
bought in Liverpool, not in the least resembling the silk-lined fragment
which the ship's doctor brought into the cabin."
Crawshay looked gloomily out of the window.
"Well, I imagine that that settles the question of how the papers got into
England," he sighed.
"Our job, I suppose," the detective reminded him, "is to see that they
don't get out again."
"Precisely!"
"In a sense," Brightman continued, "that is a toughish job, isn't it,
because whoever has them now can make as many copies as he chooses, and one
set would be certain to get through."
"As against that," Crawshay explained, "some of the most valuable documents
are signed letters, of which only the originals would be worth anything.
There are also some exceedingly complicated diagrams of New York harbours,
a plan of all the battleships in existence and projected, a wonderful
submarine destroyer, and a new heavy gun. These things are very
complicated, and to carry conviction must be in the original. Besides
that," he added, dropping his voice, "there is the one most important thing
of all, but of which as yet no one has spoken, and of which I dare scarcely
speak even to you."
"Is it in the shape of a drawing?" Brightman asked.
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